Lust and Legend
by emeraldtryst
Summary: Work on the ritual has begun and Joseph now has a powerful need to gather reliable allies. He's met many mamono and "known" a great many more, but he will need to seek them out. He'll also try to gather new allies, all while holding on to hope that those that are lost, remembered or not, can be saved. The third and final part of the trilogy!
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1 - A Light in the Void

-A long time ago-

"Dalatrix, we don't even know what the ritual will do!" a weathered draconic soldier called out across the small conference room. "The Worm refuses to speak on it and our two best arcanists came away with completely different results on it. One says it will make the blessed completely invulnerable and the other claims it would grant strength great enough to hurl that damnable hive all the way to Charisse's city. It can't do both!"

Remaining calm within the heated meeting of the Skyrender war council, Dalatrix nodded quietly as her allies continued to relate the grim state of affairs that faced them.

Before she could give a response to quiet their worries, a thundering sound erupted from outside the small keep, loud enough to make her ears ring and heavy enough to shake the ground.

Smiling a bit as she calmly got to her feet, Dalatrix held a softly growing crystal sphere aloft as she spoke to the desperate dragons arrayed before her.

"My friends and blood sisters...we are out of time. We cannot know if Akuma has truly fallen, but we cannot allow the ritual to fall into the hands of our enemies. I do not trust the Worm any more than you...but I would rather give it to her than to let Charisse and her new Teremir allies touch it."

As she continued to speak, the walls of the heavy stone keep continued to shudder as one great impact after another battered against them, now punctuated by the screams of the defenders in the outermost posts.

Starting to slowly walk toward the hallway that connected to the stairs leading to the surface, Dalatrix continued, "I will not throw away my clan like our former sisters. If it means I will die, crushed under the boot of our enemies like the noble Bloodhorn...then it means only that our enemies fought like dragons."

Dalatrix paused before softly smiling, adding with a powerful shout "But we are not fallen yet! The ritual completes today. If we cannot hold the keep, we will hold the stairs; if not the stairs, the hallway; if not the hallway then the ritual room. I will promise you all that even should the strength of each of us fail...our clan will survive. Even if it be a hundred years from now, those of us that still stand after today will see our clan restored...and our cold vengeance upon the countless tiny insects that had the misplaced arrogance to call true dragons their enemy!"

A mighty growling cheer erupted from within the room as the dragons within charged to meet their fate. As Dalatrix moved to join them, she placed the small orb on the table next to several others with a wistful sigh.

Then thundering into the hallway without another moment of hesitation, Dalatrix and her group of the remaining twenty dragons of the Skyrender clan met the first of the nearly ten thousand soldiers of the Lords' assault force.

-  
-Small roadside building within the vast desert-

Parisa, the fairy in charge of what was part of the slapdash operation to return parcel delivery to the war-ravaged desert, flitted to and fro above the desk that bore her name as she looked down to her newest employee. "You're Narayani, right? This report says you're...some kind of Siren?"

Gritting her teeth and biting back on what she really wanted to say, Narayani took a deep breath before answering, "With all due respect, I'm one of the authorities on every raga used across the desert and elsewhere since antiquity, not to mention I've also composed four operas along with hundreds of other songs that are also well known across the region. So please don't compare me to one of those screeching feather-brained creatures."

Landing on her oversized desk to scan through the parchment she'd been given, Parisa glanced up a few moments later with a confused look. "This doesn't say anything about all that. If you're such an amazing composer, why did you take a job here?"

A slight flush coming to her smooth dark skin, Narayani replied, "Right...well, the new laws have put unrealistic expectations on mamono with more artistic trades. We're expected to simply produce art on demand just to meet their ridiculous quotas. It's ludicrous!"

Nodding along as the attractive harpy continued to complain about the new laws, Parisa pounced on the first moment to speak again. "Oh, that _does_ sound terrible! They didn't take into account anything you've written before? And how many songs were they telling you to write to be considered officially working in that field?"

Looking away as she nervously answered, Narayani sheepishly replied, "W-well...allowances have been made for anyone that has made some sort of contribution to their field within the last decade. But we were only given a year to produce something new!"

Crossing her arms with a look of confusion, Parisa began moving to unleash a fistful of Socratic irony. "An entire opera in a year? You're absolutely right...that is ridiculous!"

"Y-yes well, it wasn't that they needed to see a whole _opera_ ," Narayani replied, sweating more than even the desert heat would normally have demanded.

Her brow creasing, Parisa continued her assault, "Well even one whole song can take longer than that. Creative types just move at different paces. Even I know that!"

Now aware of what her new supervisor was doing and tired of the charade, Narayani jumped to her feet with a scowl. "I haven't written a single note in over ten years, okay!? It's the worst case of writer's block I've ever had and I couldn't even make something up to satisfy the government requirements!"

Not at all ready to let things go at that, Parisa countered in a well-acted exclamation of understanding, "Oh! Oh, so then you're just a delivery girl like the other girls working here?"

Narayani remained silent and looked to the floor where her talons had begun to scratch at the stone in embarrassment.

Clearing her throat, Parisa spoke up again. "All joking aside, I'd like you to remind me of your position here."

Swallowing her shame as she locked eyes with the tiny fairy that had become her supervisor, Narayani answered in a defeated tone, "I'm a delivery girl."

"Great!" Parisa suddenly exclaimed as though having just entered the conversation. "I do apologize for calling you a siren-the paperwork just says 'music harpy'. Sorry if that offended you. Also, don't let the job title get you down-this is an extremely important service. Anyway...I've got a doozy of a job for your first delivery."

Parisa then put her entire small body into pushing a package across the desk towards the gandharva, the otherwise featureless wrapping covered in protective and sealing runes and tied with strong twine.

"Well, I'm a pretty decent flier. Where am I taking this?" Narayani asked, suddenly a bit excited at the prospect of heading to another region of the desert within which she'd spent her entire life.

Parisa frowned a bit. "Didn't I say this was a doozy? Might not have translated...my ex-husband said a 'doozy' was some kind of fancy iron horse or something. Anyway! This actually needs to be delivered to a person and not an address."

"That shouldn't be much harder, I guess. There's an address for the recipient, right?" Narayani asked.

Parisa tapped the package gently. "Of course! It's a bit further than you're probably used to-the address is in Alnor."

"Alnor!? B-but I've never been out of the desert!" Narayani nearly shouted, her eyes pleading for another assignment.

Kicking the scroll on her desk a bit further open as she paced about on the parchment as though it were a large rug, Parisa gestured down at the rolled document beneath her feet. "Yeah, it says that right here, actually. That's why I picked you for this job. They assigned me to this post because I always pick the right person for the right task. This is the right task for you."

"W-wait...no...I'm-" Narayani tried to protest before a clap from the much smaller fairy silenced her.

Turning and gesturing to a knapsack in the corner, Parisa continued undeterred, "I've got to get back to work but I've already prepared all you should need for the trip-maps, a magic compass that always points towards Teremir, and enough coins to cover any reasonable expenses. The contractor paid a great deal upfront to make sure this gets to the right person, so don't come back until you put this package in their hands. If you get into trouble, just write! This job shouldn't take you more than a week with those nice wings but don't worry if it takes longer."

Clearly not in a position to refuse her first assignment, Narayani shook her head as she moved to gingerly stow the package so she could head out. Starting slightly as she looked at the intended recipient, she asked, "Is this...is this a man's name?"

Looking at it one last time to be sure, Parisa nodded. "I believe it is. Oh, and before you ask, any...ah, _tips_ you receive are strictly yours to keep."

Well now! Things might just be looking up for Narayani.

With a smile and a wave of her wing, Narayani headed toward the door, whispering to herself, "Joseph Panna of Alnor, huh? This'll be duck soup!"

-

"Mira…" Miranda scolded, a practiced note of elder sisterness adding volumes to that one word.

Pulling her spectacles off completely, the nearly identical girl angrily shot back. "I almost died. _You_ almost died. We don't owe him a damn thing!"

Miranda crossed her arms and frowned. "He saved my life, Mira."

Mira didn't budge. "He's completely hopeless, will lay down for anything stronger than a calm breeze, and yet somehow manages to _still_ be an arrogant ass. Oh, and not to put too fine a point on this, but you were only in danger in the first place because someone linked you to that bastard!"

"No-you know quite well that he had no way of knowing he'd end up linked to Durand before making that choice, or that he'd care enough to treat our lives with the same weight as his own family!" Miranda countered with a determined certainty before adding with a coy grin, "though I suppose we'd both be family as well if you were planning to take that little game you played with him seriously…"

Unable to hide the color rising to her face, as much in rage as embarrassment, Mira stamped her foot and answered, "How dare you spy on me! I was-"

"Doing the exact same thing to me?" Miranda expertly countered before her sister could finish.

Mira shouted back. "I can't stand you sometimes!"

"So then we're doing this?" Miranda asked, her tone suggesting she already knew the answer.

Remaining silent for several moments in the grip of a relentless anger, Mira finally placed her spectacles back across the bridge of her nose before replying, "I'll help...but not because you're asking."

"Oh?" the older sister asked, sudden curiosity consuming her.

"Three reasons," Mira began, adding after taking a breath, "The first is that I fully intend to force him to make good on at least one of his promises. I _really_ don't think I want to marry into that mess...but a daughter might not be so bad. I'm also bothered that Durand's spellguard managed to throw me out before I could at least recover that salamander's body..."

"And the third?"

Sighing heavily as a sense of true remorse fell across her demeanor, Mira answered, "It's only a matter of time before someone tells him or he figures it out on his own...but there had to be another person in Durand's ritual chamber." Mira held to silence for nearly a full minute before she continued, "Losing Hekate was the most painful thing I've ever had to live through...but if that part of my life had somehow been completely unmade...I just...don't think anyone deserves that."

Miranda answered with a long silence of her own before calmly saying, "If it had been anyone else making the decision, that could have been me or you. I doubt I'll ever understand why, but that fool would have thrown himself to oblivion before either of us. There is also a lot more at play here than any of us, including Durand, can see."

Appearing to change the subject, Mira said, "Get his family to handle things in Teremir; I know what he's going to do so I'll try to track down some...assistance. Hopefully that'll at least start us on the right track. I've got a few ideas..."

With a short vocal assent, Miranda closed by saying, "I doubt I need to even say it, but be very careful with anyone you approach. It's hard to say how many of them will hate Durand enough to work with him. I'll also contact that unhinged succubus and watch over him until he wakes up."

"I don't trust that demon. Someone has to have her tits in a vice to have gotten her working on Joseph's behalf." Mira then snorted in derision. "Oh, and watch over him? I bet. Make sure to at least replace the nutrients you suck out of him when he wakes up."

" _If_ he wakes up," Miranda corrected.

With that, the pair of witches set about their respective tasks.

-  
-A prison cell-

I'd been sitting on my ass in this cell for what felt like nearly two days without any sign that anyone even knew I was here. Without even a window to gauge the passage of time, however, I really had no idea how long I'd been out, let alone how long I'd been awake.

Over the many silent hours I spent staring at unfriendly walls, imagining that I could see constellations made from the tiny holes in the stone, my mind was given far too much leave to dread what would happen when this cell was finally opened.

Would I be hauled before a magistrate? Another executioner?

"No," I said aloud with a hint of derisive laughter, "The dead can't suffer like the living. Fate definitely wants my ass alive."

Startling me from whatever it was I'd been doing-something like moping but with all the angry excitement of waiting for a police officer to walk up to my window after having pulled me over-I heard footsteps from somewhere nearby.

I hadn't even had time to concoct a plausible lie to answer the "Do you know why I pulled you over?" question.

I stood and moved to the cell door, finding it inexplicably unlocked.

"Don't have to ask me twice," I thought to myself as I quickly opened the sturdy cell door and then sneaked my way into an almost instantly confusing mess of worked stone tunnels.

Quickly putting some distance between myself and the footsteps I'd heard, I stopped a moment to try to get my bearings and found it nearly impossible. Even though I passed dozens of rooms, nearly every one of them was completely empty. The halls themselves were little better with only the signs that they had recently been covered with various rugs and artwork, evidenced by the dust outlines where things had once been.

Coming into one particularly dark room, not illuminated by torches or the seemingly more common clinging fungus that made the stones themselves glow, I thought I felt the sensation of moving air.

With the sincere hope that moving air meant I was approaching a way out of these infuriating halls, I moved forward into the darkness with slow, cautious steps.

Those steps were not cautious enough, apparently, as I lightly kicked what must have been a length of chain. Badly overcompensating with my gait when the light metallic sound reverberated in my ears like church bells in the otherwise silent room, I took a leaping step forward into the darkness and immediately cracked my shin on something wooden and started falling forward.

I'd have rather bashed my face on stone than the far softer alternative I fell upon.

It was definitely a bed that broke part of my fall. On its own, I wouldn't have been concerned, but the decidedly feminine ass of which I'd just grabbed a handful and the resulting soft gasp urged me to quickly pull back to my feet.

As I got back to standing, I could hear the sleeper starting to stir as though from a light nap.. Within the near blackness of the room, I then saw a pair of glowing viridescent eyes slowly open...followed by a third...and then a much larger fourth.

"Oh, fuck no," I mentally screamed as I sprinted from the room as fast as I'd ever run in my life.

I was already rounding a corner at the end of the hallway outside the room before I heard the too-cheerful feminine voice call out, "Hey, come back!"

Perhaps in some fevered nightmare I might have imagined the bane of every D&D party in mamono form, but I never imagined the horror I'd experience if I actually _saw_ one. Death, disintegration, charm, sleep, flesh to stone-even a single one of those would be the end of me, and it was impossible to know how similar a mamono version of such a creature might be.

I didn't even look back as I ran.

Perhaps it was divine intervention or just dumb luck that I found myself at a window to the outside only moments later as I dashed into a room that boldly presented itself as a kitchen, complete with a large cauldron hung over an open fire, shelves with a few sets of plates and silverware, and a well used preparation table with a stepping stool beside. It also had the window I'd been looking for.

The blue sky beyond the smallish window would have been more than enough to have me literally throwing myself outside, but the sight of the snowy mountain as it held a massive castle with a large wall of ice on its western face, still cracked and open to the elements, I didn't hesitate.

The biting cold was immediately relentless in making a very strong case for getting my ass back inside as fast or faster than I'd just gotten outside. Aside from the cold, I probably should have been just as concerned about being almost completely unable to catch my breath as well. Just how high up this mountain was I? Adding to that the fact that my armor made me stand out like a pigeon blood ruby sitting on a bed of salt, and going outside was suddenly not feeling like the best choice to have made.

Already shivering, I shook my head to throw back the doubts that had joined with my good sense as they screamed at me to climb back into the window. No...my family was in that castle and I could see the signs of a path to get me there.

Sure, if that beholder or eye-demon had wanted me dead, she would have probably had plenty of opportunities, but I was well past believing that death was the worst thing that could happen to me in this world.

I didn't waste any more time as I focused my energy on moving my feet toward my goal while doing everything I could to keep myself warm in the bone chilling bite of the frigid mountain air.

-  
-Some time later-

"This was such a terrible idea," I muttered aloud, as I picked myself up from the snow after having fallen for the dozenth time and continued to push forward.

It could have been minutes, hours, or days since I'd set out from that kitchen window. I couldn't feel my fingers, my face, or my toes and it was getting harder and harder to keep moving. With the piercing light of the sun in the sky, amplified as it reflected off of the snow to leave me almost blind, I'd kept my eyes cast down upon the vague path markers on the ground beneath me.

I tried to imagine the angry shout Risa would give me when I put my cold hands on the bare skin of her back, or how warm Meryl's tail would be if I could just wrap myself up in it. I'd definitely have to warm my hands up before holding my girls, but just imagining the fragile softness of their small arms pulling in tightly against me was enough to keep my legs moving.

None of my family had been in the cells that had been near mine, and that must have meant they were still held by those crystal prisons within Durand's castle. My heart skipped a beat as I realized that, with Zee gone, there was nobody left that I could imagine had any real reason to help me. Even if someone had been willing, I knew I wouldn't be able to survive seeing someone else die for me.

It seemed far better to die, alone if needed, trying to recover my family than to get lost in the otherwise hollow lust of this world, stumbling or lost elsewhere without a single true friend or ally.

It was with that forlorn thought distracting me that my head suddenly hit something hard and metallic, my feet slipping out from under me yet again as I found my forward progress halted by a massive iron gate that defied reason with its sheer size.

Casting my gaze skyward, my eyes fell upon the castle that was my destination. As heartwarming as it might have been to claim that it was the love in my heart that warmed me enough to get me here, I think it was more likely the more arrogant desire to spit right into the face of death after what it continued to alternatively take or deny from me.

Seeing a massive ring, hung upon the gate like a knocker, I tried to grip it with my frostbitten hands and couldn't even move my fingers. Not deterred, I wrapped my arms through it and pulled with all the strength I could muster.

"You're wasting your time," a vaguely familiar voice called out from beside me, drawing my gaze to the dullahan I'd beheaded the first time I'd been here. "It would take a team of ogres to pull this gate open, and you have not been invited."

Ignoring her words, I continued to struggle to move the gate. What else could I do?

"Marshal Penelope. Durand gave us orders to-" another voice began from nearby before being cut off.

The dullahan cut in loudly, "I'm well aware of our orders and we'll worry about them if he gets the gate open." She then leaned down to whisper in my ear as she continued, "But we know that isn't going to happen is it? You know it took them three days to find my head after what you did? Even if I've been ordered not to kill you unless attacked, that doesn't mean I can't just watch you freeze to death."

There were two other voices arguing softly in the background. I looked up to see what looked like an ogre, completely covered in heavy winter attire, and another half naked mamono covered only with extremely fluffy white fur in a few places.

While the ogre looked at me with something that would have had a hard time passing as anything other than blatant hatred, the other girl looked at me with a far more sympathetic eye.

"Permission to speak freely, Marshal?" the fluffier woman asked as she met my gaze, clearly not at all bothered by the extreme cold.

"Granted," Penelope said as she leaned against the gate next to me with a disinterested smirk. "But you can't have this one."

"Go back down the mountain," she said to me, an obvious kindness in her voice. "This gate only opens with magic and we can't open it for you. You can't just let yourself die out here, can you?"

"No, he can't," another voice called out from behind me.

Penelope and the ogre drew their weapons, but the other girl just continued to hold my gaze to drive her statement further home.

"Stop!" the ogre shouted. "State your business."

"Just picking up a lost pet," the deep, nearly emotionless feminine voice answered, sounding a bit muffled as though coming through a scarf or concealing hood. "Let me take him and there won't be a guild incident."

Penelope kicked some snow in disappointment. "We won't stop you but you might want to keep these sorts of pets on a leash. They can get seriously hurt if they wander into the wrong neighbor's yard."

My rescuer didn't even answer that statement as she grabbed me with her very large arms and pulled me close to the warmth of the heavy coat she wore, wrapping a blanket around me. Her features were almost entirely covered by heavy clothing but I could make out a bit of blue skin before she covered my face with the blanket.

I wanted to struggle, to lash out at the woman I'd see nearly kill Zee, or to tear this massive gate from the great hinges that held it, but what could I really do? No amount of impotent rage was going to grant me the strength to move either the gate or its defenders.

Again, I felt the hollow pain of helplessness as it spread throughout me.

As I shivered, only half from the cold, the emotionless voice of the woman carrying me back down the mountain returned some measure of hope to me.

"Why would you attempt to come here alone, Joseph?" she asked. "We are worried as well."

"Worried?" I asked as I looked up toward her.

"Yes," the giant woman said simply as she began to take large, quick steps back down the mountain path. "Would you expect otherwise from family?"

For just a moment, in the light of the mountain, I saw the glint of a familiar green peeking out from beneath her heavy hood.

It had just been made blatantly obvious that I'd never be able to do this alone. Was this another Panna sister? Lareina had certainly shown herself to be fruitful, and she had to be concerned about the fate of her daughters, right?

Maybe I _did_ have some allies left.


	2. Chapter 2 - A Mountain Between Us

Chapter 2 - A Mountain Between Us

-Before-

She had crafted her own maze of cognitive being into an exercitation of arcane instruction.

Her reasons were valid, but it was simply a means to an end.

Within the thoughts of the other laid her goal, a treatise unyielding and eternal. Each and every one of its thousand words was like an entire language, each in entirely foreign scripts and possessing alien and unfamiliar phonemes.

Every other attempt to study the monolith had been like viewing it through frosted glass, and her purposes now demanded a much clearer understanding.

Her task was to learn the entirely of the meaning carved upon that monolith. While attempting to learn this meaning, she would be assaulted with sounds and images of a life that was not her own. And behind it all, music. Hundreds-thousands of songs that would change from moment to moment for the smallest reason or no reason at all, further driving the task from the realm of possibility.

The task was impossible under nearly any conceivable circumstances.

But she must try.

Her chances of success would have been laughable even if she had a decade of dedicated study.

The greatest folly was the knowledge that understanding was no guarantee of answers, and her existence may well depend upon her success in procuring answers.

Her eyes drew across the monolith as she began.

She had but three days to learn what she needed.

-  
-Back in the present-

Even after I'd been carried back into the warmth of the place I'd just recently fled, I was still having some trouble seeing. My attempts to rub my eyes were stopped by the large woman carrying me when she wrapped a cloth around my head as a blindfold.

In answer to the question I was about to ask, she spoke. "You may have gone a bit snowblind so leave the blindfold on for the moment. You've got a touch of frostbite as well, but hopefully we can avoid cutting off your hands or feet."

Despite her emotionless voice, I was convinced that she wasn't joking.

Having made the enlightened choice to hike up a freezing mountain without even an ounce of preparation on my own, I wouldn't have even been able to curse fate if I lost my hands or feet. Or maybe now fate was giving me enough rope to hang myself.

Frowning as I spoke through chattering teeth, I said, "I know it was stupid. If I'd just been a prisoner, I doubt they would have left me with my weapons in an unlocked cell. I just wasn't thinking straight, and then when I saw that Eye Tyrant, I just-"

Even as I said the word, I realized that she had to be here somewhere. My instincts asserted authority and I attempted to jump to my feet again, only to find myself completely immobilized by the large arms of my rescuer.

"Eye Tyrant?" she asked, her voice not even giving any indication that she had to struggle to keep me from moving.

Still fidgeting, I answered, "Yes! That _thing_ with one giant eye and all the other little ones."

She was quiet a moment before she spoke again. "Those mamono are called gazers. Most men do find their large single eye unattractive."

"Unattractive? What are you talking about?!" I nearly shouted, growing more frustrated that she wouldn't let me move. "Who gives a shit how many eyes a girl has?! It's what those eyes can _do_ that's the problem! A cyclops helped fix our house in Alnor and she was definitely doable, if maybe a little taller than I'm used to..."

How did this even turn into a discussion about attractive mamono features?

Taking a slightly deeper breath and exhaling as though she might have been sighing, she said, "That cyclops was me, Joseph. Did you not see how angry I was that my own sister didn't recognize me?"

Thinking back, I'm pretty sure her tone and expression probably weren't much different than they likely were now. I definitely remember meeting her the morning before I went to the Alnor market alone for the first time, but I didn't get even the vaguest impression that she was actually upset.

That was also definitely after Risa had regained her sanity. Had she been living surrounded by illusions her entire life? Was she the only one of the sisters that had been left completely oblivious to reality?

Well at least that explained the presence of the half sigh the cyclops released when I made that comment about eyes, while entirely failing to hint at the meaning of that sigh.

Trying to be delicate, I began, "So then you are..."

"Kaeli Panna," she answered simply as she slowly removed the blindfold to reveal herself as large, blue-skinned, and monocular as I expected of a cyclops. "Yuki is also here, as well as a succubus and a witch that both claim to know you personally."

My eyes hurt a bit, but it wasn't unbearable. Looking across the hall into a massive room furnished with only a single threadbare couch, I saw a very short danuki sitting alone with a look that reeked of sadness.

"Oh!" I exclaimed, suddenly more _and_ less concerned that I was being held so close against her. The Panna family had developed quite a reputation where I was concerned, after all.

When I finally got a look at them, I could see that my hands may as well have been sculpted from ice with how frozen they appeared. Once Kaeli had me submerge my hands in a deep clay trough filled with warm water, I breathed a hopeful sigh of relief when the feeling started to come back to my fingers. It didn't mean I was safe from infection, but it was still a bit heartening.

Noticing that I was now looking at her, the short danuki headed straight for me, seeming to force a smile as she said, "It's a good thing we found you as quick as we did." She then hesitated before adding, "and you don't need to worry about that...terrible beast you saw before. I took care of her so you'll never see her again."

Wow. The illusionary versions of Risa's sisters that I'd seen before had all been pretty close to the mark except for the one of Yuki. Far from the potentially evil, bubbly ball of energy I expected, this Yuki seemed positively morose to her core.

Finally setting me down on a chair as my feet were also submerged in warm water, Kaeli finally released me from her grip and sat on the floor next to me.

"It's nice to finally meet both of you," I offered with a small nod to each of them. "Though I honestly don't know that much about either of you. I don't think Risa or Meryl wanted to share me...uh...you know...any more than normal."

Yuki nodded a bit and looked away as she replied, "It doesn't seem like you'd be interested in either of us anyway. We're just here to help get our sisters and nieces back from Miss Violaceous High-and-Mighty."

Something in Yuki's voice was saying something else entirely but I couldn't quite put my finger on exactly what that might have been.

I tried to deflect things with some slightly flattering humor. "Pshh, more like you'd both rather not get involved with the village bicycle. You're both attractive enough to do better than me anyway."

At that, Yuki fixed an almost angry glare on me. "Whatever."

Several moments passed in uncomfortable silence before Kaeli moved closer to sprinkle something into the water in which my hands and feet were soaking.

Kaeli then asked, "Why were you so irrationally terrified of the 'Eye Tyrant' creature you mentioned? Is that some sort of beast from your world?"

Snapping back to the moment, I looked straight into her single large eye before answering, "Yes...well, sort of. It's a fantasy monster from a game I used to play. And before you think that's a silly reason to be so worried, there are a lot of similarities between the creatures in that game and a great many mamono."

Continuing to speak as Yuki busied herself with a stack of scrolls nearby, Kaeli continued, "What is so terrifying about this creature?"

Being instantly giddy that someone had taken an interest, however small, in my old hobby, caused me to respond with a bit more excitement than was likely warranted. "Oh man, Eye Tyrants are just about the worst thing to run into. Their big central eye cancels out magic, but it's the other ones that are the real problem-they could wound you, cause fear, turn you to stone, put you to sleep, disintegrate nearly anything, or even just outright kill you...among other things that made them a death sentence for an unprepared party! When I saw all those eyes earlier...I was sure I was dead."

Kaeli nodded. "I see. That does sound frightening."

Suddenly interested again, Yuki stomped back over to us and pointed an accusing finger at me as she said, "A gazer isn't anything like that! I mean, maybe one _could_ do all those things with magic, and her 'wicked eye' can hypnotize and bewitch people…" she trailed off before continuing a bit more calmly, "Really, a succubus could do the same thing or worse. And I'm sure she wouldn't have attacked you unless you provoked her."

From back out in the hallway, another voice called out in annoyance, "Christ! Enough of this bullshit."

It took me a moment to recognize the newcomer, given how drastically her attire had changed since our last meeting. Looking her up and down as I remained in my chair, I saw the succubus Phina, now dressed in the sort of attire that left no question that she was a sorceress...or at least playing the part of one.

The succubus maid had certainly put some time into this outfit. Starting at her feet, thigh-high buckled boots of soft brown leather gave way to black and white striped leggings, edged with lace and held in place by a similarly lacy black garter belt that peeked out from beneath the short skirt she wore. Above her exposed midriff, a stringy white bra barely kept her breasts covered, assisted by a long black trench coat that was buttoned only across her chest, looking almost like an insurance policy against the likely failure of the bra.

Crowning the almost entirely monochromatic ensemble was a beautifully elaborate wide brimmed hat with a gentle point that fell stylishly to her left, loudly defying anyone to refer to it as anything but a witch's hat.

In fact the only visible points of actual color my eyes could pick up on her were the nearly glowing reddish gold lights of her demonic eyes.

Something about the succubus seemed...different than before, and there was definitely a lot more white in her otherwise black hair. She also didn't look all that pleased to see me.

Phina raised her hands toward us and a moment later I saw a bright flash where Yuki was standing. The light was bright enough to hurt my still sensitive eyes, and when the dark spots in my vision finally cleared, I saw the so called "gazer" standing where Yuki had been only moments before.

Before anyone could fully register the shock of the sudden appearance, Phina quickly said, "We aren't playing this game. Yuki's a gazer, we've already wasted enough time waiting for you to wake up, and you forgot the charm, slow, and telekinesis eyes. We good?"

What a difference a few seconds can make. I'm certain Phina wasn't nearly so attractive the last time I'd seen her. Gamer girls had always made my knees weak before coming to this world, and if I hadn't already been over max capacity on love interests, I'd have asked her out on the spot. Plus that hat...mmm. I knew I'd love seeing one of those hats on a mamono that didn't look young enough to still be working on multiplication tables in school.

Finally turning my eyes back to Yuki as she stood next to me with a look of shock, I had my first real chance to actually get a good look at her. However jarring it was to be confronted so suddenly with the mamono representation of a very real personal fear I'd had since arriving in fantasy land, I simply wasn't seeing the horrible monster I was expecting.

With a literal mane of raven hair falling across her slender, ivory-skinned form, an octet of eyestalks, and a pretty face nearly dominated by a large single eye, she was definitely the least "human" mamono I'd seen up close. Just as was to be expected, her many eyes also carried the familiar green hue I'd become so accustomed to.

Despite what I thought I was supposed to be feeling at seeing her, I certainly wouldn't have been able to call her unattractive, and certainly not with the absolutely adorable look of shock showing plainly on her face and reflected in each of her many eyes.

I couldn't hold back the smirk and associated thought that jumped immediately to mind...well, just behind the need to keep myself hunched over to hide the evidence of a few too many racy thoughts.

The thought was that beauty truly is in the eye of the beholder...

Yuki threw a baleful look at Phina but made no other action except to look back towards me.

I didn't say anything at first, only offering a smile before finally saying with a light sigh, "You know it doesn't matter whether I think you're pretty or not, right?"

Her look turned to one much closer to anger as she turned her back to me, conveniently leaving several of her eyes still looking at me. "You almost _died_ out on the mountain just trying to get away, I think it's pretty obvious how you feel."

Taking a moment to sip deeply from a hot cup of tea that Kaeli held up to my lips, I answered, "That was a misunderstanding...and before anyone can turn this into something it isn't, it doesn't matter for a couple reasons."

"Oh?" she asked with a dubious look toward me.

I took another sip of the warm tea as it felt like I started to come back to life before speaking again. "I don't know how much you've heard, but at least two of your sisters died shortly after getting involved with me and another three are currently trapped up in that castle. And look...I'm sure everyone has already seen that goddamn painting-yes, I'm a whore by the way-but I'm already spoken for as far as anything serious is concerned."

Her eyes actually lit up in a disturbing fashion at that as she answered in a far too cheery voice, "Oh, that's all?"

"Uh...yeah," I offered in response.

Her response was clear enough to make it obvious that the only thing she'd processed in what I'd said was that anything "serious" was off the table. This family...I swear.

Phina stepped quickly forward to look into the bowl where my hands were defrosting. "Can I save us all some time? Joseph here will fuck anything; yes it applies to both of you; no we don't have time to piss around like high school virgins about it. We have a meeting to attend with our new patron and the more time we waste, the more likely Karisa and Meryl end up dead or sold as property."

When I didn't correct Phina right away, Kaeli and Yuki both blushed, the resulting looks they shot me likely acting as a harbinger of sexual (mis)fortune in my near future.

Kaeli then spoke, her voice a bit thoughtful. "The frostbite wasn't nearly as bad as it appeared at first. He should probably be fine once he finishes his tea."

She wasn't kidding. I'd had frostbite before, and aside from some very minor darkening at the tips of my fingers and toes, it looked like I was fine.

Phina poured a small glass of the tea for herself as she added, "Or some cold resistance is another side effect of those mushrooms."

About a half hour later with the invigorating tea finished, I was back on my feet with only some minor lingering stiffness in my fingers and toes.

"We'll be here!" Yuki said, her tone now so cheerful as to remain perpetually suspect.

"Make sure you find me before setting out, Joseph," Kaelie added as Phina led me from the room. "I have something important to give you."

-

"So, why are you here?" I asked out of genuine curiosity. "And who are we going to meet?"

Phina seemed to be in no mood to even speak to me, and I couldn't divine what I'd done to piss her off. More than that, she didn't even seem to want to look at me as we wound through increasingly massive tunnels.

I had several minutes to wonder over those questions as I was silently lead through dozens of stone corridors. Even without stopping to admire them, I could see that truly masterful craftsmanship had hewn these passages into the mountain itself.

After what felt like hours, exacerbated by Phina's silence, we passed into a larger open chamber, the entrance of which was flanked by two massive statues of unrecognizable dwarves. I was then lead through a vaulted, well appointed common room of sorts and into what immediately appeared to be an opulent personal office.

"Ah, there you are," a small but raspy voice called out as I entered. "Please, have a seat," the richly dressed elder dwarf before us plainly requested.

Between us and the impressively large stone desk stood two equally magnificent chairs, also carved from the stone but thankfully dressed up with some cushioning to make things more comfortable.

Just as we passed into the small room, Phina finally spoke to me for the first time since we'd started walking. "We can talk about the details later. All you need to know for now is that I'm here about an arrangement I've made with Yessica regarding your freedom and where we go from here," she answered my earlier questions dismissively as though she hadn't been silent the entire way here.

As we sat ourselves in front of the large desk, Yessica offered us a businesslike smile as she leaned forward slightly and began speaking, "Your friend here is correct. I understand that you're trying to recover several family members from the lady Durand, yes?"

If she was leading with something I wanted this badly, I was sure that whatever she wanted was going to likewise be pretty big. I didn't like heading into a negotiation with so little information about where I stood, but it wasn't as though I really had much of a choice.

I nodded and answered, "That is correct. It also doesn't seem like it'll be as easy as just knocking on her castle gates and asking for their return." I paused a moment before piping up again in a small attempt to gain some traction in the discussion. "I don't mean to be rude, but I can't imagine why that would be of interest to you so I'm guessing there's something you want from me, correct?"

"Ah, straight to the point-I like it," she answered without a hint of guile, that fact almost more worrying to me than if she'd gone into salesperson mode. "In case you weren't paying attention as we lead you through the common room here, you find yourself within the main guild headquarters of South Teremir Mercantile...and, despite our past dealings, I believe we can come to a mutually beneficial arrangement."

I was having some very serious doubts about why I was even still involved in all this.

My wife, children, sister-in-law, and...uh...official mistress were all trapped up in that castle, yes, but what exactly was I going to be able to do about it? Raise an army? Sneak into the fortress?

That was also ignoring that with Yessica's obvious wealth, she could likely purchase literal miles of cock with which to satisfy any carnal fantasy she could possibly have. On top of all that, I was also pretty well certain that more than one mamono was now probably familiar enough with my human "black magic" to accomplish all I might attempt and more. Why was she even making any sort of offer to me in the first place?

As we sat at the desk, Phina now made no attempt to hide the sidewise glances she kept shooting me the entire time Yessica spoke. These weren't the blatantly covetous glances I'd become so accustomed to or the also familiar gazes of burning hatred that were becoming nearly as common.

If she was so interested in me, why didn't she even make an attempt to speak while we were wandering our way here? What was her stake in this?

"So, what do you think?" Yessica suddenly asked as she say back in her chair to await a response, making me realize that I hadn't been listening for the last several minutes.

Trying to bullshit my way clear of the blatant faux pas, I answered, "It's definitely an interesting idea…"

"He means he'll do it," Phina corrected.

Still convinced I had a graceful way out of this...or at least a way to find out what I'd just been signed up for, I countered, "Now, hold on. I think I'm going to need a few more details. This is more than just a small undertaking," I ventured.

"True enough," Yessica replied, adding with an inexplicable look of near admiration, "I suppose what I've heard about your shrewd business sense isn't far from the mark. I don't think I'd be able to negotiate so calmly knowing that my own family was in such grave danger."

I broke out in an instant sweat. Did I seriously miss Yessica offering a way to recover them? What the hell was I doing?!

Apparently sensing my sudden distress, Phina spoke up, "If you don't mind my saying so, how do we know you aren't just trying to set us up? Durand is part of your guild and this could just be a way to curry favor with her. Not to mention that your guild is the reason we're in the mess in the first place."

Yessica didn't flinch as she calmly tendered her response, "That's a fair question."

Then standing and starting to move about the room, Yessica gestured to the various decorations and guild markings that adorned the room. "Without knowing what to look for, you might not see the distinction, but here, within the common rooms and in the offices of every other guild officer, you'll not see a single mark of Durand's so called Violaceous Regard. This guild has been out of our hands for thousands of years now and we no longer feel that Durand has the best interests of the rest of the council involved in her plans."

I remained silent as I started to piece together what this dwarf was offering me.

"So then it's just business?" Phina asked. "If that's the case, why even consider us? I've heard about you Teremir guild members and any single one of you should be rich enough to finance your own private army to take her down, not to even speak of what you could do if you pooled your resources."

Her posture changing as though she knew we'd ask this question at some point, Yessica turned to the pair of us and sat back in her large chair. "While guild politics can be ruthless, even bloody at times, the fact is that if a sitting guild member were to move against another guild member, even indirectly, they would forfeit their seat as well as their guild assets-which would be divided up amongst the remaining members, not to mention the loss of Teremir legal protections against retribution."

"So because I was planning to go up there anyway, you can pitch this without colluding with the 'enemy', eh? Fine. If I'm taking all of the risk to remove her while I'm getting my family back, I want her seat in payment," I interjected, finally feeling up to speed enough with what this dwarf was proposing to start an actual negotiation.

If she'd had a mouthful of water, Yessica's face suggested she'd have spit it all over us in surprise at my comment. "I have heard many a bad joke, but that is-"

Raising a hand, I interrupted the dwarf before she could finish. "There are really only a few possible reasons why you'd be proposing this to me. I'll assume you're being honest about losing your guild seat if you act against her directly, for the first reason. Or you could just be _so_ greedy that you hoped you could get a freebie out of me because my family is in danger. You also seem to believe I have a chance at success, and what would be to stop me from finding a way to sneak in and only retrieve my family?"

Supporting me like a champ, Phina added, "You were also in a pretty big hurry to have a chat with him the moment he woke up. Perhaps you expected that a guild rival would be interested in speaking to him? Or another guild maybe?"

Her calm veneer cast away like dandelion seeds in a gale, Yessica frantically gestured to us to keep our voices down, "Shh! Look...you have to understand my position here. Even if you asked for many millions of gold in payment, it would be a pittance in the shadow of that seats value. Durand caused quite a stir being the first non-dwarf to hold a seat on our council, to say nothing of the likely riot that would ensue if a human male held that seat. It's also been thousands of years since we've had a chance like this."

While she was definitely trying to argue against my suggestion, her face clearly read that she wasn't entirely opposed to the idea...or at least some variation on it.

Yessica coughed nervously as she snuck a glance toward the door to her office before hopping up on the desk directly in front of us, close enough to whisper. "Some seats are worth more than others, and _that_ seat is a bit too valuable to simply offer. Durand sits at the head of our council-a position many in the guild would kill for. If...an already existing guild member were to take that seat, however, there would suddenly be another open seat. It isn't unheard of for a human to be a standard member of a guild council."

If what Meryl had said was true, any guild seat with an organization as prolific as South Teremir would still be worth more than I could ever hope to make in a lifetime. I couldn't have cared less about the gold itself, but that sort of leverage could end up being exactly what I needed to succeed in my task.

"We'd need to see this in writing-and damn your secrecy. We could probably get a similar offer out of any other council member," Phina countered.

It occurred to me at that point that I had no idea why Phina was attempting to help me in this negotiation. Medea could have demanded any number of things from her, but helping me get a seat on a Teremir guild council as a bonus while saving my family didn't seem to be a likely requirement.

I quickly chimed in, realizing that I'd been made the "good cop" here. "But since you came to me first, I'm willing to make yours the only offer we consider unless we are completely unable to come to an agreement. But just as Phina said, we're going to need this in the form of a notarized contract, verified by a third party."

Now visibly agonizing over the decision, Yessica hesitated only a moment before pulling a sheaf of parchment from a desk drawer, signing it moments later.

Sighing lightly, Yessica slid the signed parchment toward me. "I've already done so. This bears the marks of the Teremir council, two unaffiliated Teremir guilds, and the Alnor minister of trade, personally. I had a half-dozen variations of these made to cover the most likely demands you might make. That your first suggestion was for the most expensive possibility is a credit to your business acumen."

Whoa. Did she say the _actual_ Alnor minster of trade and not some half assed interim minister's second cousin on wednesday?

"Yeah, yeah. Get your tongue out of his ass. So I'm guessing you can't provide any concrete assistance in actually removing Durand from her seat?" Phina asked.

Yessica smiled at that. "There is one thing. Since Durand began spending coin in the pursuit of that ritual and then outright hemorrhaging gold once she began attempting to cast it, she's sealed her castle off to the outside completely. There are no more aerial deliveries either, so the only open roads are up the mountain to the front gate, and through the Teremir guild road that, by regulation, must remain open. I can get you a pass, but you'll need far more than just the two of you. While it's a far cry from the outer defenses, it would still be gated and far more heavily guarded."

"What about an approach from the outside?" I asked, pondering over how to avoid as much armed conflict as possible.

Yessica sounded extremely doubtful in her response. "Even if you could get a team up the mountain with the large battering ram you'd need for the assault, you still probably wouldn't be able to even scratch those ancient gates. Forget about the magical sealing and enhancements for a moment and consider that you're still dealing with reinforced iron slabs that are nearly two meters thick and almost four times as tall. The surrounding mountain also may as well be solid bedrock, making sappers useless."

"Figured I'd ask, just in case," I replied, more impressed than anything at the description of the outer gate and what were effectively natural castle curtain walls. Yessica didn't have to even point out that even if we had a team capable of breaching those defenses, the castle defenders would have plenty of time to mobilize while we struggled in the biting cold.

"The pass to get us up the inner road should be all we need. My _master_ ," Phina began with no small amount of irritation curdling her voice, "has given me a few promising options for assistance, and Joseph here has made at least a few other allies in his blundering across the island."

"I see," Yessica said with a nod. After a moment of silent pondering, she then added, "Well, time is a factor here as I understand it, so I imagine you'd best be on your way. Here is a pass that will allow you unrestricted access down the rest of the mountain to Teremir proper. From there you should be able to get where you need to go. Also...I know I've said that you'll need to hurry, but it is far more important to make certain that you can actually succeed. This is also a hunch, but I don't believe you'll want to allow Durand to finish that ritual either. Just let me know when you're ready to move and I'll make sure I have upward passes ready."

Phina grabbed the offered parchment and showed it to me for verification before carefully placing it into a scroll case. She then began pushing me toward the door, speaking over her shoulder, "Do not worry, my master left far too specific instructions with me on which signs to look for if we're reaching the literal deadline, so I'll be certain to recognize if we'll need to push up our timetable."

I was only able to give a small nod over my shoulder as I watched the elder dwarf sit back in her seat and sigh in apparent exhaustion.

Remaining within caves lit by magically blazing torches as we made our way down the mountain, Phina's exceptionally cold demeanor made it nearly impossible to appreciate the breathtaking stonework and dwarven designs that covered every wall. The work was so extensive that, rather than appearing as the brilliantly worked caves they were, these tunnels looked more to have been constructed from already worked stone.

Despite not being able to see the whole city as we wound down an elevated path into the impossibly massive cave that contained the city center of Teremir, what I could see was unlike anything I'd ever laid eyes upon, on the island or elsewhere.

Where Blacksky had looked like a blending of many cultures, the parts of Teremir that I could see were decidedly dwarven. Massive stone statues of ancient dwarves acted like support columns, reaching beyond the reach of my sight to hold up the stone sky above. The buildings near the start of the South Teremir Mercantile guild road sat powerfully upon the timeless stone, looking like they had grown from the very rock to become massive squarish structures.

The ubiquitous carvings and stonework in this area reached a level of beautiful mastery that bordered on the religious. I couldn't even fathom how many thousands of years just this part of the city must have taken to carve into the stone of the mountain.

Shortly after passing into the outer edges of the city, Phina suddenly spied something she was looking for, stopped and turned to me with an unreadable expression.

"Alright, I need a real drink and we need to talk," she said, turning back to lead me further onward without even waiting for a response.

She finally lead me into the low-ceilinged tavern and grabbed an empty seat. Phina didn't speak again until after she'd exchanged a handful of coins for a pair of mugs with the barmaid, adding instructions to "keep them coming."

Taking a long slug from the stone cup, she grimaced a bit at the taste, still sighing in approval as she finally met my stare. "Damn, I needed that. Anyway, like I said, we really need to talk."

"Okay, hold on. What is your deal?" I began, not entirely certain what it was I really wanted to know just yet.

Was I also supposed to forget that this woman was pregnant? Mamono may be quite different than humans, but I was still pretty damn sure that drinking wasn't a good idea for an expectant mother.

"My deal? I already told you most of it," she answered with an exasperated air that began to intensify as she spoke. "I'm Medea's apprentice. That insufferable bitch is also holding something extremely important to me for ransom. Not to mention that I've got a newborn baby girl I _can't even see_ because of you and your whole god damned family! I won't be free of Medea's bargain until I help you get your family safely out of Durand's grasp. I'd do it myself but Durand only taught me three fucking spells and gave me a less than a year to perfect them. So are we clear on my _deal_ , asshole? Or would you prefer to check the teeth on this gift horse a bit more closely?"

Wow. I wasn't sure how any of that was _my_ fault. She didn't need to be so mean about it…

"You had your child already? Just how short are succubus pregnancies?" Even as I was asking the question, I was pretty sure that I was about to hear one of the last things I wanted to hear.

"It's a miracle the ritual backlash didn't kill you outright. How long do you think you were out?" She asked.

At that, I picked up my own drink and made an admirable attempt to down it all at once, a fiery retort from my stomach putting the brakes on that idea with fierce gusto.

Wiping my mouth with the inside of my sleeve, I shook my head. "Just tell me and get it over with."

Phina was still heated as she countered, "No, before that, I want you to tell me why you didn't instantly jump on Yessica's first offer until she offered payment. One of the only things I can't completely hate about you is that I _thought_ you actually cared about your family!"

"I do! I just wasn't listening to her at first," I quickly answered, "I couldn't figure out why you were even here, why you were dressed like that, or where I even was. And it doesn't matter anyway."

Looking angrily dubious, Phina sarcastically offered, "Oh, certainly not. But humor my stupidity for a moment and explain how Yessica's offer to save your family, however self-serving, doesn't matter."

Calmly taking another sip of the powerful alcoholic brew, I set it down before answering, "She makes me an offer or she doesn't. We go up the guild path or we don't. The moment I knew she wasn't throwing me back in jail or off the mountain, whatever else she had to offer didn't matter."

All it took was a moment to think about it before I rediscovered my purpose. It didn't matter whether I was the right person for this job, how lacking my capabilities were, or how slim my chances of success might be. Everything that mattered right now was in that castle.

I paused for another moment before looking back to Phina with the fire of my determination making me tightly clench my jaw before speaking, "My family is still safe, I know where they are, and there's not a god damned thing on this island that'll stop me from getting them back. I already lost Zee, and that was too much. You get me? I don't care if I have to mortgage my own soul to get this done, but I _will_ get them back."

Leaning back in her seat with a look of mild satisfaction at my answer, Phina nodded. "I'm not certain that Zee was the only thing you lost...but that's a quandary for another day. I get it. So then let me also make a few things clear." She cleared her throat before continuing, "I don't like you, and I like my master even less, and even though I'd rather be absolutely anywhere else, holding my daughter...I won't let you fail in this. As much as I hate it, Medea has decided that my fate depends on your success, and if that means I have to beat your ass a few times to keep you moving, I just wanted you to know that I'd consider that a bonus."

"Hey, as long as you don't fall in love with me, we're good. I don't need any more wives," I said with a half smile.

She gave a truly mirthless chuckle. "Oh, you're in _no_ danger of that, playboy. I already got myself knocked up by a filthy whore-I'm sure as shit not going to fall in love with one."

Turning my attention back to the task at hand, I asked, "So you say Medea gave you a few suggestions? What's the best one to go after first? It looks like we've got Kaeli and Yuki and either Miranda or her sister. Aside from Lareina, Selvirin, and _maybe_ Genevieve, I'm not sure who else I know that would be insane enough to help with this. If we've also got to take out Durand, it's practically a suicide mission...not that I don't have at least some experience with those."

Phina looked about nervously for a moment, looking like she wasn't sure she wanted to answer. "I'm pretty sure at least one of Azalea's sisters would be willing to help if you asked nicely, not to mention that team of hers that kidnapped you, assuming we could find them. There are a few others Medea told me about as well, but I think the first one…" She paused a moment before continuing, "Well, it'll either be the best or worst choice, depending on what she's actually like. All I know is that she's strong. I just don't know about the rest."

"Strong, huh? Ogre? Hobgoblin? Salamander…?" I ventured, the last word catching in my throat as I quickly tried to cover the painful thought with yet more of the dwarven brew.

Still looking nervous, Phina shook her head. "If Medea's arrogant ramblings are to be believed-and they sadly often are-we're after a living relic of the _actual_ Dragon Wars. She's also the only recipient in history of the complete version of the ritual that lead to all of your troubles with Durand in the first place."

"What does that ritual even do?" I asked, still chasing the hopeless wish that my struggles were over something truly important.

Phina shrugged. "I honestly have no idea. The last time we spoke, I fell asleep while Medea was epically pontificating about her personal suggestions for assistance on this task. I think she was trying to explain how their relative power and likely locations affected her ranking system. If she explained it after that, I didn't hear it. I seriously doubt she'd have told me anyway. The girl I picked out is the second on her ranking, but it's the only candidate we have an exact location for."

I took a sip of my second drink, suddenly surprised at how quickly the first one had vanished. "If you don't mind my saying so, you seem a lot more motivated about this than someone under duress should be."

"That's all a matter of perspective," she said with a half frown. "You don't know what Medea is holding over me."

"So then what _is_ she holding over you?" I plainly asked.

"That's for me to know and you to...not know. Wow, this is good stuff!" She answered, matching my frown at her attempt to change the subject. "It's not something you can save me from, no matter how heavy you lay on that stupid white knight routine, and it's not going to interfere. That's all you need to know."

The finality in her voice didn't really leave any room for debate. I also wasn't sure how much I cared, as horrible as that thought may have been. Maybe, for now, it was better to have less to worry about anyway.

"That's your call. So then where are we heading and when can we leave?" I asked, eager to get underway.

"Tomorrow. And the directions I have start at some place called the Lake of Glass in Ahmose. Shouldn't be too hard to find, given the description, and being able to fly should make it even easier to spot," Phina replied as she reached back to her smallish demon wings that didn't look like they could carry something half her weight, let alone her entire body.

The names of most places usually went in one ear and out the other, but something she said definitely caught my attention. "Wait...Ahmose? Is that-?"

Phina nodded, "Ah, right. Yeah, the civil war in the desert is over. Lord Charisse is gone and the child pharaoh Ahmose is the new Lord. They say she took power without spilling a single drop of blood. I'm not sure of the new laws, but I don't think they'll be too much to worry about."

I smiled at that. Somehow I felt like that had to be good news.

"Maybe Ahmose would be willing to provide some assistance. There's also somewhere else I need to go in the desert as well," I added with hesitation as I reached into my pouch to feel the small piece of parchment that Zee had left me.

If I was going to deal with Zee's loss, I needed to know for certain that she was truly lost. As far as I was concerned, she wasn't dead until I saw a body.


	3. Chapter 3 - Working as Intended

Chapter 3 - Working as Intended

"Draw your weapons," Kaeli demanded of me nearly the moment we'd walked back through the winding passages that lead back to our nearly barren quarters.

With her as unreadable as ever, I couldn't tell if she was issuing a challenge, a threat, or a kindly request. She also wasn't handing me a piece of parchment and a quill, possibly for the best given how terrible my artist talents were.

Hoping it wasn't either of the first two, I drew Tizona and Colada, leaving them pointed at the ground. "Did you just want to see them?" I asked hopefully.

Taking a step forward to observe the paired swords with her large single eye, she allowed a nearly imperceptible nod before remarking, "Truly masterful work, both of them. How well can you wield them?"

As she waited for my answer, Kaeli began turning a large warhammer over in her hands. It felt like any answer I had for her question was going to be the wrong answer.

"I'm reasonably skilled, I suppose. Why do you ask?" I offered.

"Attack me. Do not hold back or I will hurt you," she stated without any hesitation as she started to move toward me menacingly.

Angling my weapons back up toward her as a reflex, I began stepping back with a quick look over my shoulder to make sure I wasn't about to trip over anything, only then remembering that the room was almost completely empty.

She had to be testing me, but her reasons, much like her facial expressions, were inscrutable. When my protests fell on deaf ears, I resigned myself to the reality of the combat I'd just been forced into.

Kaeli was among the largest mamono I'd ever seen, and was certainly the largest I'd been tasked with personally engaging. As I moved around her with light steps, I could definitely pick up that she was a great deal slower than I was, or was at least pretending to be.

Phina looked to have already vanished along with any assistance she might have provided and Kaeli probably wasn't going to just let me run, even if I had somehow been able to navigate the maze of caverns. With that thought in mind, I resigned myself to the situation and made a quick advance.

My opening feint was quick enough that it went almost entirely unnoticed as I came in and followed with a low thrust, my weight poised over my leading leg in preparation for a diving roll if she brought that hammer down toward me.

I gritted my teeth as my blade scraped across her shin, the contact solid enough to worry that I'd hurt her.

Her hammer did then begin its descent, albeit even slower than I was expecting. Already low enough to spring forward, I could have risked a stronger thrust toward her body with my off hand while diving past her, but I instead rolled across my shoulders to my right, taking me well clear of her and her large swing.

Coming back up to my feet, I was surprised by a sudden quick advance from the cyclops, her large form suddenly barreling toward me far faster than she had lead me to believe was possible.

That, at least, I was expecting.

What I wasn't expecting was her to blatantly expose her unarmored chest as she held her hammer high above her head.

Unless that hammer was made of balsa wood, I'd be able to land a potentially deadly strike on her midsection with little more than a sidewise leap and a few steps forward.

What was I supposed to do? Even if I hadn't been fighting my sister in law, I wouldn't want to cause that sort of injury in what was probably supposed to be some sort of exhibition match. Would she really bring that hammer down on me if I didn't get clear of her attack?

Kaeli's expression offered nothing, and her quickened breathing was the only indication she even knew she was in a fight.

I still had no idea what I was expected to do so I went with what I wanted to do, dashing past Kaeli with two quick steps and drawing a slash across her exposed arm as I turned to face her again.

"That's enough," Kaeli suddenly remarked from across the room as the version I'd been fighting vanished.

As I looked over to her, I saw Phina and Yuki sitting with her at a plain stone table, the latter rubbing one of her eyes as the trio of them regarded me.

"Give me those weapons, Joseph," Kaeli suddenly demanded as she stood and began walking toward me.

I backed up a step, now not certain what to do. I'd clearly just been fighting an illusion, but to what end? Had she just decided that I wouldn't be any use here?

"Why?" I asked forcefully, planting my feet. If she was about to tell me that trying to rescue my family was too dangerous for me or anything like that, I wasn't about to back down. Trying to assault the front gate of an impregnable castle alone should have been more than enough evidence of that.

Looking as though she had just realized what I might have been thinking, Kaeli stopped well away from me and crossed her arms. She took a short breath before saying, "Because those weapons...are not right for you."

I knew that was bullshit. Zee gave these swords to me as a gift, and as far as I could tell, they'd been crafted specifically for my hand.

Frowning at Kaeli, I took a step back and countered, "No, Zee had these made for me. I'm not just going to give them up and let someone else take responsibility for my own family!"

Cutting the tension quite expertly, Yuki hopped up between us with a smile, her many eyes regarding both of us as she said, "She wasn't going to keep them, silly!"

Looking a bit confused, Kaeli nodded as she added, "Right, I just wanted to get a good look at how the grips sit on your hands and how the metal has been stressed so that I can give you proper replacements."

I called back in shock, "I'm not giving up these weapons!"

Shaking her head, Kaeli answered, "You will, because you already know what I'm about to tell you." Pausing only a beat, she calmly added, "It just isn't in you to hurt others."

The hateful truth of that statement made me want to scream. How much use could I be in the task of rescuing my family if I couldn't even truly fight the enemies that would be waiting for me? Why couldn't I just harden my heart enough to become the killer I probably needed to be? It wasn't like my enemies were going to spare me to save my bleeding heart.

However potentially deadly my attacks might have been when that orc Hildegard was choking the life from me, they'd been executed with as much thought and grace as if they'd been the flailing arms of a drowning man.

Before I could sink any further into the despair of reality, Kaeli spoke again. "I told you that I am going to return them to you, didn't I? Kenzie, a friend from Alnor helped me come up with a way to entirely re-alloy that steel with something better. You won't have the same problem wielding them once I've enchanted them."

As her words finally penetrated my skull, I sheathed the weapons Zee had given me and stepped toward her.

I wiped a bit of moisture from the corners of my eyes and resolutely asked, "If you can enchant them to silence my heart...at least until this is over…"

At that, I thought I caught just the barest hint of a smile tug at the corner of Kaeli's lip as she answered, "No. Even if I could, it would be a waste to let you turn into someone else. I have a far better plan for these."

Kaeli silently took Tizona and Colada from me and looked them over closely, her eye narrowing in concentration for several moments. With a satisfied nod, she carefully slid them back into their scabbards and said, "I'll have them ready by tomorrow morning. Make certain that you...get plenty of rest this evening."

I was out of sorts from the rollercoaster of emotions I'd just been thrown on and the small amount of alcohol still in my system definitely wasn't helping. Under normal circumstances, I'd have certainly caught the meaning of the look Kaeli gave me before she moved off to points unknown. As it stood, however, I only nodded and looked around dumbly before Yuki strolled up from behind me and took gentle hold of my hand.

"You okay?" she asked with a small smile, her face still showing signs of worry that I might scream and run from her again.

"I think so," I answered softly, quickly adding, "but really not in the mood for a tumble just at the moment, in case that's why you're being friendly."

Yuki gave me a mock frown and cheerfully replied, "Oh, not at all, Joseph! There will be plenty of time for _those_ sorts of things later. I was just going to show you to your room so you'd know where it is."

I let her comment slide, my mind far too occupied with more depressingly grave and serious thoughts.

Still coming down from the exertion of the mock battle, I nodded and let the short gazer lead me through a series of tunnels. This time I made sure to start trying to memorize the path we had taken.

Having seen the South Teremir common rooms earlier, the sheer emptiness of these tunnels now seemed completely out of place. I had a few guesses as to why this area was so empty and could only hope that the real reason wouldn't be problematic in the future and involve all of my worldly possessions having already been sold.

As we walked, Yuki made a point to show me how to get to the kitchen (and her room...just in case, she said) as well as the path leading toward the South Teremir Mercantile guild commons. I wouldn't be able to do it in the dark, but I now at least had a sense of the directions I'd be going.

Twice more waving off Yuki's offer of additional company, I finally slumped down onto an uncomfortable bed in what was to be my new room. No matter how hard I tried to get my tempestuous thoughts under control, a large part of me was already wondering if I should have just let myself get lost, however briefly, in the throes of sexual passion with Yuki.

I sighed and shook my head, knowing that once those few torrid moments passed, I'd have been left with only my thoughts again, then with the added weight of having slept with yet another member of the Panna family. My damn bedpost already had so many notches at this point, it probably looked like a team of beavers and termites had been double teaming it.

Even knowing that I'd recently been unconscious again for God only knows how long, I gave up on trying to figure anything out and tried to get some sleep.

Blessed slumber came surprisingly easy. I certainly wasn't going to complain.

-

Without windows, I could only hope that I'd awakened in the neighborhood of morning as I stumbled toward the kitchen to track down some food.

Phina was already seated around the simple stone table, eating what looked like oatmeal.

She slid a bowl toward me gestured to a large pot on the nearby stove before I could even ask about it and I joined her in silence a few moments later as I began to choke down the bland mush.

Just as when we'd been sitting in Yessica's office, Phina kept throwing looks in my direction any time she thought I wasn't looking. I could only assume she wasn't quite sure what to make of me. I seemed to have that effect on most mamono I'd met.

Phina was almost definitely from Earth, however, so I really had no idea what else she was looking for when she looked at me. I figured I'd worry about it if I ever had cause to.

Shortly after finishing my tasteless breakfast and reliving the pleasant memories of Risa it brought with it, I heard a strange ringing sound and felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end for several moments.

"Looks like she's done," Phina offered, her voice now making it clear that she also wasn't much of a morning person.

I stood and moved toward the room in which I'd had the mock battle, still not at all sure what to expect from what Kaeli was about to give me. Phina reluctantly followed, staying a few steps behind me.

We entered the room just about the same time as Kaeli. The large cyclops looked exhausted as she stood holding my weapons. Still sheathed, I couldn't make out anything different about the weapons themselves, but the scabbards had been completely replaced.

Not hesitating, Kaelie unceremoniously dumped the pair of intricate, runed scabbards into my arms and then watched as I impatiently strapped them to my belt.

"Now, Joseph," Kaeli began, "treat them just like any other weapon. No weapon on the island will suit you better than these. Just make certain that you return them to their sheaths when you aren't using them. It's important."

As my hand fell upon the larger of the two weapons, I felt an electric thrum roll across my entire body. The weapon seemed alive, pulsing with a magical heartbeat and a well of power that was so far beyond anything I'd ever personally touched that my hopeful excitement quickly started to shift towards trepidation.

"I wouldn't draw them here," Kaeli quickly cautioned. "They are more than simple blades and the enchantment is not one that would normally be used for a weapon. You will see. Trust me."

There was a supreme moment of tension that seemed to originate from Tizona that didn't fully dissipate when I removed my hand from it. Whispers seemed to linger in the air, carrying the same sorts of promises I'd have found in the hungering eyes of a demon.

I felt almost paralyzed as those whispers grew more and more insistent, finally overtaking my vision in a waking daydream. The visions I saw couldn't possibly have been more erotically charged if they'd been manufactured by a succubus.

Those dreams drew me in and surrounded me, becoming my entire reality.

I lost count of how many dozens or hundreds of times I was treated to the satisfying gasps of one lovely partner after another as I left them supremely satisfied and begging for more as I gladly spilled more and more of my essence within them.

When I finally started awake on my back, it was to a smiling Yuki astride me, her devious grin from before now one of glowing satisfaction. I had ended up back in my room and only Yuki seemed to be with me.

I could still feel the tingling numbness across my entire body from the most recent orgasmic release that had been forced upon me.

Maybe I should have been angry at what had probably just happened, but I felt something entirely different. More than confusion, anger, or sadness, I felt a familiar warmth that touched more than the surface of my skin.

Whatever her ridiculous mamono rationale, Yuki never looked like she had any intention of stopping me from trying to get back the rest of my family. It was as twisted as anything I could imagine, had it been happening on Earth, but in her many eyes I could see that she actually cared about me.

With a cheerful sigh of resignation at seeing me snap back to full awareness, Yuki moved to pull herself off of me. "Guess the fun's over."

I'm not sure what it was, but in that moment I felt so completely and utterly alone that I thought my heart would break.

Wrapping my arms around Yuki's small form, avoiding her tentacle-like eye stalks as best as I could, I pulled her close and buried my face in her shoulder. "Please don't go."

I couldn't say if something in Yuki's embrace was just comforting or familiar, but I didn't want to feel even more alone in that moment if she left. There was also something else I wanted to ask her, and it was probably horrible of me to even consider the question.

One of her many eyes shifted around to look at me in apologetic confusion as she almost squeaked from the force of my embrace. "Are you upset? We didn't think-"

I shook my head and said in a defeated tone, "No, it isn't that. I just realized that if you're skilled with illusions, you could..."

Even as I trailed off, I knew she understood what I was asking. Yuki had already demonstrated that talent for illusions I'd seen from several of the other members of her family.

Her voice somehow remaining cheerful as she appeared to read my mind, Yuki offered, "Did you want to see them? I can't do my nieces since I never got to meet them." She then sat up a bit and gave me a slight frown. "I don't know how someone as sensitive as you hasn't lost all of his marbles."

As several of her eyes began to glow, I saw Yuki's form change to match Meryl's as a phantom Risa materialized beside me.

Risa's scent was wrong and Meryl's tail wasn't soft enough...but just letting my eyes drink in the sight of them was enough to remind me of just one small piece of what I was fighting for. Even if it was a lie, it was the most pleasant one I could have imagined in that moment.

Smiling and closing my eyes, I gratefully said, "Thank you, Yuki."

After squeezing Yuki like a greatly oversized stuffed animal, I finally moved her off of me and got to my feet.

Whatever had happened was already done and would have probably happened with my conscious approval eventually, anyway. I would have preferred to have actually remembered what had transpired, but the last few moments were at least enough to drag me out of my doldrums.

I had shit to do and plenty of it if I was going to be leaving today. I certainly hadn't packed anything yet, and now I wasn't even dressed. Since it appeared that I'd ended up in my room, my first task was to follow the trail of clothing back to the central chamber in which this had all started.

When I got there, I had a sudden urge to cover myself when I saw Phina walk into the room with a large satchel.

"Joy of joys, you're finally awake," she remarked with acid in her voice as she tried and failed to keep her eyes fully diverted. "Get your ass dressed. Let's go."

Knowing that she was pretending not to look at me, I decided to take a bit of extra time dressing myself. "We can both be assholes," I thought to myself with a smirk.

She sure acted like she hated me, but had I had Phina taken a free ride while I was lost to the visions Tizona forced upon me?

Wondering if Phina had taken advantage of me also made me wonder how in the world a weapon that knocked me unconscious for enemies to have their way with me could possibly be any better than what I had been using before.

Thankfully, I didn't need to wonder over the missing piece of that puzzle as Kaeli entered with a small bag that she handed to me.

"It's just some hard rations and extra water," Kaeli said, her expression still unreadable, but definitely softer than before.

I accepted the small leather bag after finally getting myself dressed. As I was about to reattach my weapons to my belt, I paused and turned to Kaeli. "Okay...it isn't that I'm not grateful that you made these for me but...how exactly are are they supposed to even help? If I thought I could fuck my way through this, I'd have already thrown myself naked at the castle gate."

"Ah," she answered, stifling a tiny grin that tried to sneak its way onto her face. "Yuki was annoying me so I left one of the runes incomplete to shut her up. I already fixed it while you were in that trance. I borrowed the energy from you since I was quite exhausted after working all night." Kaeli then crossed her arms and continued, "Now that they should be enchanted properly, all you need to know is that these weapons strike and consume the spirit instead of the body. You can't possibly hurt someone with either of them."

"So...what? I just smack an enemy around with these and it'll drain their energy? And then...they pass out?" I asked, absolutely certain I was missing something.

"There is more, but that's close enough," Kaeli answered unhelpfully. "You'll also feel the effects to some degree, but you'll get better at using them the more you practice."

"Are we done now?" Phina suddenly asked with a biting tone as she tossed me a light grey cloak. "We should have set out hours ago."

"There were a few other things," Kaeli said.

"Tell us when we get back," Phina said as she pushed me from the room.

Leading me to door that opened onto a small balcony, she then gestured down the mountain. "Since we're so far behind and the longer we stay here the more likely you are to fall cock-first into one of your sisters again, I'm going to try flying us down the mountain."

"Whoa!" I exclaimed as I pushed back against her urging. "There's no way you can carry us both!"

"You've been carried off by a succubus before, haven't you?" Phina asked as she rolled her eyes.

That was a good question. Maybe? I know Genevieve caught me when I tried to jump out of a window but I wouldn't consider that anything like being carried off. That whole episode was still a little fuzzy in my head.

Without waiting for my answer, Phina grabbed me under the arms and leapt off into the air with me. I expected my next moment of awareness would be full of my bones breaking.

With a grunt of obvious exertion, she somehow kept us aloft, adding as we moved out into the open sky, "It's...mostly downhill so we should be fine."

As badly as I wanted to squirm my way free, I was now high enough that I was worried I wouldn't survive the fall. That meant I'd be keeping my arms down while the ride was in motion.

I had to assume that fate would, like always, be far too cruel to just let me die, however hilarious it might have been to the rest of the world to know that I'd been killed just to shave a few days and potential acts of coitus off of our journey.

-

I would have been out more than just a fistful of gold if I'd taken the bet on whether Phina would be able to carry the pair of us through the air. And possibly dead. Somehow she managed it. Magic was the obvious answer, but that just left me feeling like we were going to plummet to our deaths at any moment as the mountains beneath us gave way to wooded highlands and finally the endless desert.

Despite the many questions I wanted to ask, I kept the vast majority of them to myself, trying to avoid distracting the pilot. Phina, thankfully, seemed only slightly better with heights and started bringing us down toward the ground as soon as we'd cleared the mountains.

Even if she'd been able to continue carrying us, Phina looked to be desperately in need of a rest. I wasn't about to complain, especially given how my last trip through the desert had gone. The thought was more than a little bittersweet as I realized I'd have gladly volunteered to be dragged across the sands by the neck again if it meant Zee was the one dragging me.

The greatest drawback of having taking the aerial route to the desert was that we hadn't come down anywhere near a road, and after several hours walking south, we still hadn't seen anything resembling one, let alone any other meaningful landmarks.

We did spot a boulder that looked large enough to grant us some shade and took that opportunity to seek shelter from the sun. As we passed around it toward the shaded side, we nearly ran headlong into a pair of humanoid figures that looked to have had the same idea as us.

They, however, looked to be far more accustomed to this blistering inferno and were cloaked from head to toe in light colored robes.

Seeing us, the pair of them jumped back and looked torn on whether to run or reach for weapons.

"Whoa, peace," I quickly said as Phina threw herself into the shade as though she had no stake whatsoever in the outcome of this encounter. "We're just looking for some shade."

What was revealed to be a pair of men looked at each other and then back to us. One of the two began backing away as the other spoke, "Then you have it, we'll be off. We aren't looking for trouble."

Seeing fear in the man's eyes, I looked down at myself and realized that my being armed and armored probably wasn't very reassuring to a pair of potentially unarmed travelers.

Not wanting to cause a stir, I nearly stayed silent as I watched the pair of them back up, suddenly remembering that we were supposed to be looking for something. "Oh! Could either of you direct us to the Lake of Glass?"

I may as well have pulled my face off and screamed bloody murder with how afraid the first man was at even hearing my question.

"South across the river...three or four days at least," he offered curtly before turning and jogging to catch up with his companion as the pair of them made their way toward the eastern horizon at a pace just barely shy of an outright sprint.

"Cripes! You'd think you asked them to sell their children into slavery," Phina spat once we were alone.

"Doesn't the name 'Lake of Glass' worry you even a little? Like...how you might make one of those?" I asked as I settled next to her in the shade of the large rock.

Phina shook her head. "What, you think mamono have learned to split atoms? Yeah-not happening. It's probably some natural phenomenon or something else entirely."

Seeing that the sun was now mercifully reaching the end of its daily journey, I chewed on the piece of jerky that was about to pass for dinner. "Well at least we know the river is south of us. You sure we should even be travelling during the day? It'd be a lot easier on us to move at night."

Wiping her mouth after taking a large gulp of water, Phina sighed. "You're probably right, but if we're going to be looking for something, we'll have much better luck with the sun up. I'm also a lot more tired than I thought I'd be carrying us down here."

I nodded and moved a bit to watch the blazing sunset paint the desert sky in cooling bronze as the night quietly fell. Not about to let myself freeze, I pulled in a bit closer to Phina and drew my knees up close to my chest to hold back the coming chill.

Phina grumbled something about my scent and made some barely formed vague threats about what would happen if I touched her while she was asleep before she quickly passed out.

I guess even a gliding flight down from the mountains was more than she could handle. At least she had definitely saved us a lot of time.

It wasn't long before I followed Phina to dreamland, realizing that the feeling of a warm body next to me was too comforting to resist, however angrily taciturn my new snuggle buddy might have been.

-

It had been two days into the desert and our supplies were already getting dangerously low. The one upshot was that I now had a very intimate understanding of just how heavy water was, especially once I'd been left with so little to carry.

Far from the concerns that I'd be forced to defend myself with my untested weapons, we hadn't seen a single soul since meeting that pair of men. At least if we'd been jumped by bandits, I wouldn't have started to worry that Phina and I had been whisked to an entirely different planet populated with little more than heat, sand, and the angry exhaustion born from their mating.

Even though we each had a light traveling cloak to keep the sun at bay, it couldn't cover me completely and I was already starting to blister from serious sunburn in several places. It might have been a bit more tolerable if those same cloaks hadn't been so bad at keeping away the nightly chill.

Phina may also have been the worst traveling companion I could imagine. Attempts to make conversation were met with silence, one word answers, or angry dismissiveness. Even sharing some of my remaining water when she ran out had earned little more than a grudging "thank you."

And that was when she wasn't soaring in the air looking searching for something we didn't even have a reference for beyond a name and a very general location.

If that was how she was going to be, maybe it wasn't even worth having her along with me. She'd already said that this was just about the only lead we had on solid potential assistance. Why would I even need her after this little trip? There were other people I could convince to help me.

As I angrily contemplated those very thoughts, Phina quietly alighted on the ground next to me and spoke. "There's different terrain up ahead. Looks like it might be the river. We should just make it by sundown."

"Finally," I said with a sigh. "Next time we should try to stick to roads or something. If we hadn't hit the river today, we'd have been completely out of water for tomorrow."

"Fine, it was a terrible idea to fly us down the mountain," Phina suddenly said acerbically, adding, "That's what you've been waiting to say, right?"

I'd sure as hell been thinking it. If she wanted to piss all over decorum, I was game to join her.

I didn't even turn toward her as I said, "At least when Meryl was being a bitch, it made me smile a bit on the inside."

"I'm sure you'll probably need me to draw you a map to direct you to this realization, but I'm not Meryl. She's a piece of furniture right now," Phina answered.

Grumbling under my breath, I leered back, "Well let me know when you finish that map and I'll let you trade it for some water."

"Filthy whore," she growled.

"Is that from your to-do list or your Christmas list?" I shot back as I pulled my last water skin out and greedily downed the rest of the contents, a great deal of liquid spilling across my face and onto the ground, wasted. "At least I'm not thirsty."

I was sure she'd try to hit me after that but she just seethed in a silent hatred that was most certainly mutual.

I normally wouldn't have been so difficult. Maybe it was just the heat, the lack of sleep, or the fact that she was an insufferable bitch.

When we reached the river just before sundown as she predicted, I breathed a sigh of relief that my spiteful attempt to piss her off hadn't also inadvertently damned us to death by dehydration. Looking even more tantalizing than the water was a large copse of palm trees with a bed of wild grasses growing beneath them.

After filling our water skins, the pair of us had the same idea and wordlessly laid down upon the bed of green. It wasn't exactly comfortable and there were now various insects also flitting about, but it was a damn sight better than huddling together against a rock.

I was out within minutes, eminently sagely deciding to forgo any sort of watch. With the mood I was in, I just hoped they went for Phina first and that her screams would wake me up quickly enough to get away from any potential attacker.

-

The mood between Phina and I hadn't improved in the least as we finally stopped to rest on the fourth day. If the ridiculously vague directions we'd gotten were anywhere close to correct, we should have been relatively close to the so called Lake of Glass.

Before I even had to work up the courage to ask, Phina said, "Wait here, I'm going to fly around and see if I can see it from the sky. The place we're looking for is supposed to be within a day of the Lake of Glass, but I have no idea what I'm even looking for."

Finding nothing, we walked in the blistering heat for the rest of the day, seeing little beyond varying quantities of sand and the always exciting boulder to break up the monotony. After reaching at least hour eight in our fruitless search, Phina left me near a large enough rock to use as a landmark and said she was going higher to try to get a better look again.

Covering myself as best I could, I wondered over the possibility of magic being able to cure melanoma. With skin as fair as mine, I'd often joked that I could burn in the shade, and the open desert was a far cry from that. I began humming in an absent-minded attempt to take my mind off of the intolerable heat.

"Oh dear. Are you lost?" an unfamiliar voice asked several minutes later from above and behind me.

Jumping up in shock, I turned to see an exceptionally well endowed harpy with golden wings as she hovered in the air above me. She was carrying a messenger bag bearing a symbol I didn't recognize. Something about that symbol still looked familiar and made me think that maybe this was some sort of mail harpy.

"Don't stop your song on my account! I love music and I've definitely never heard that song," she said with a bright smile, clearly interested in more than what I was humming.

She certainly seemed polite enough, though the exhaustion of the day was making me hate her just the tiniest bit for appearing to be completely unbothered by the heat.

"I'm too self conscious to sing with someone watching," I began, quickly adding, "and I'll be moving on as soon as my companion finds the ruins we're looking for near the Lake of Glass."

"Oh! That's west of here but you don't want to go there!" she suddenly exclaimed, flying a bit closer to me as she did so. "That place is extremely dangerous."

As she spoke, I started to pick up an aroma that I couldn't place. It was as sweetly sensual as anything that had ever tickled my nostrils. I was reasonably certain that this harpy was the source, smiling as she did when she saw me take a second whiff to confirm its presence.

Glad that my cloak was concealing my body's reaction to the amazing scent, I smiled back evenly, "I appreciate the warning, but we're not actually headed there. It's just that the directions we have use that place as a reference." With my poor ability to maintain small talk about to rear its ugly head, I quickly added, "And why are you so far out here in the drifting sands?"

Her smile quickly faded as she continued to beat her wings to hover in midair. "I have to deliver a package to Alnor," she said with distaste, her smile returning as she added, "You know...you look like you could use something to take your mind off the heat and I don't see your companion around anyway. What would you say to taking a quick break, hmm?"

 _There_ was that familiar look. It was more than obvious what she was suggesting, but I really wasn't relishing the thought of baking more fully under the sun to make it with some harpy I didn't know...regardless of how good she smelled. I probably could have been convinced to spend the night with her given how much warmer she'd likely have been than Phina.

I put my hands up and tried to remain civil. "I really shouldn't, and my companion really should be back any-"

"Hold on, that reminds me," the harpy suddenly demanded as I held my breath waiting for the response I expected. "Take off your gloves and let me see the back of your hand."

She wasn't delivering it as a threat, but there was enough force in her voice that I didn't want to risk upsetting her.

More than a little confused as I pulled off my gloves, I was even more shocked to see an unfamiliar symbol of what looked like a full moon on the back of my left hand. I assumed that was what the harpy was looking for and I quickly presented it to her.

"Nooo," the winged woman loudly cried. "You're not even from here?"

That didn't clear up what the mysterious symbol meant but the look on the harpy's face seemed to suggest that it meant she wasn't going to try to force me to take that break with her. Thankfully I didn't have to stumble around in the dark wondering over the strange mark for long as Phina finally reappeared.

"Uh, I think I found where we're going. Is your...friend coming with us?" Phina asked with a note of sarcasm.

"No," the harpy sniffled. "I...need to be moving on anyway." As the golden-winged woman propelled herself back up into the sky, angrily mumbling about "stupid" laws, she left a large quantity of that heavenly scent behind.

"Mmm," both I and Phina remarked as we picked up the scent at the same time.

"Anyway!" Phina exclaimed, cutting off any thoughts I might have constructed, "Let's move. I found what we're looking for just over that hill. And yeah...I think we should avoid that Lake of Glass...even from the sky, something seemed off about it."

"Whatever gets us out of this stupid sun faster," I said.

-

It was evident that we'd found _something_. As the sand gave way to a broken and warped stone floor of sorts, we decided this had to be the place. We didn't really have anything to give credence to that supposition beyond the endless nothing in every other direction.

"I was expecting a castle or at least ruins or something. I don't see anything here at all," I lamented as I took a large drink of water, wiping the sweat from my eyes to look at the only slightly less nothing beneath our feet.

Almost throwing herself onto her ass, the exhausted Phina quenched her own thirst as she tried to hide her face beneath the wide brim of her witchy hat. "I got us here...you start looking while I catch my breath. I just really hope this isn't a dead end."

Not pleased to be moving around in the heat but still taking a sort of comfort in the memories it brought to the surface, I began trying to trace around the edges of where the stone began. After only a few minutes, I could tell that this mass of stone covered a very large area.

I was also pretty sure it was the heat messing with me, but the stone actually felt cool to the touch.

It wasn't until I began trying to trace around the edges of it that I found that the stone around the outside seemed different from the stone towards the center of what we'd uncovered. While the stone near the middle was very warped, almost like it had been poured into place, around the edges it looked more like quarried blocks of stone.

As I came around one edge of the area, I found about a dozen round holes, arranged in a line, that looked to be capped or filled with metal.

"What the?" I wondered aloud as I tried to figure out what I was seeing.

Looking closer didn't provide any insight even after several minutes of scratching at and around the strange stones and stranger circular metal spots.

"Find anything?" Phina asked, looking a bit more rested as she walked over.

"Some weird metal circles in this area but they don't seem to move and I'm not seeing much of anything else." I offered with a sigh as I stepped back to fan myself with the edge of my cloak.

Her look turning to one of doubt, Phina leaned down to look. "Let me see."

As I watched her fumble around with the stone, much as I had, I looked around. The only landmark I could see was a short rocky hill and the only other thing of note was the unrelenting sting from blowing sand-not something at all unique to this one location in the wide desert.

"The stuff around the edges looks like it was actually quarried...or at least had some more defined edges." I mentioned the other thing of note that I'd discovered as I had a sudden thought. "You don't think this is some sort of stone lid for something do you? Maybe it's all warped near the middle because whatever is trapped down there melted it?"

"Oh, shit!" Phina suddenly shouted, adding to my chagrin, "You're wrong but I think you've got the right idea. As soon as you mentioned melting, I figured out what these metal things probably are and why this is so damn big."

Hmm...I wasn't far from the realization myself as Phina mentioned it.

Phina seemed very excited to explain her idea. "This was from the War of the Ancients, right? If I imagine it as a castle or keep, then I'd bet those metal things are the last remains of an old portcullis or something that melted-right along with the rest of the stone-when this place was assaulted!"

"That's great and all, not to mention probably correct, but then does that mean what we're looking for is long gone?" I asked, coming to a likely answer before I'd even finished asking the question. "Also...doesn't this stone feel sort of cool to the touch?"

"Cool?" she asked as she placed a hand on it. "I was just sitting on it and I didn't even notice. This stone has a pretty dark color so it probably would have cooked my ass if something wasn't keeping it cold."

"Are we looking for some kind of ice spirit or something that was trapped here?" I asked.

"Maybe...but there has to be more here than this. The thing is too damn big to have been constructed quickly. Well...at least it would take a lot of magic to handle something of this size. I don't know what sort of spells they might have been using back in ancient times but it still seems like a waste." Phina played with her tail as she paced and mumbled to herself.

Almost running into the succubus as I started pondering possibilities myself, we both came to a decision at about the same time.

"I agree...we could be wrong, but I say you don't build a keep this large out in the middle of nowhere. I'm guessing there's either some sort of magical node thingie here or a water spring," I suggested as I headed toward the center of the area.

"Node thingie?" Phina asked with amusement. "I think I'd sense something like that. There's definitely something magic going on but it's so faint I can't pinpoint it."

Entirely by accident, I found the answer to our dilemma. As I was trying to get a feel for the scope of the stone-floored area, I tripped over something hard and metallic and only barely managed to avoid breaking my nose in the tumble forward.

"Phina, I think I found something!" I shouted over as I moved to look at what I'd discovered.

I was actually more disheartened when I saw what had caused me to trip. Looking like a melted metal ring attached to similarly melted stone, it looked like I had found the entrance to a lower level.

Whatever great heat had washed over this place had warped the door to the sub level beyond any point where it would move normally.

"Damn it," Phina growled as she began looking around. "We're going to have to break through this somehow."

"We don't even have any idea how thick it is though. I mean...maybe the heat made the stone more brittle…?" I wondered back. "I'm not exactly a geologist."

"Let's see if we can get a big piece of stone or rock over here to break through this...unless you've got a better idea," she offered, looking like she truly wished I'd come up with something.

"Mark this on our map then come back with a team carrying picks and hammers?" I ventured, seeing my words obviously fall on deaf ears.

Four hours, a dozen bruised fingers and toes between us, and a nearly endless string of profanity later, the sun finally fell below the horizon.

"We haven't even made a dent. This is bullshit!" I spat as I fell back onto my ass, breathing heavily from the exertion.

"Wish that bitch had told me we'd need to dig through solid rock," Phina answered. "Let's keep going...unless you want to try to head toward some civilization to look for tools."

Of course now she suggests heading back...

I shook my head. "It's going to be getting cold soon. Let's take a break and then go at it again. I really want to sleep with a roof over my head tonight, even if it's in an ancient ruin full of bodies."

After a short break to catch our breaths, we moved over to opposite ends of the large rock we'd been using to try to break our way into the basement. Straining as my sore muscles worked to lift the piece of stone, I stepped back to get a better grip and my foot punched through into empty space as I began to fall backwards, right along with the broken pieces of what used to be a floor, into the blackness below.

I can't remember if I screamed, but I definitely cursed loudly.


	4. Chapter 4 - Frozen Sunset

Chapter 4 - Frozen Sunset

It was a miracle that I wasn't crushed by any of the falling stone as the floor beneath me gave way. Perhaps as fortunately, I also landed on a pile of somewhat softer rubble, coming away with only a few new bruises added to my ever growing collection.

I was still dazed when Phina pulled me to my feet amidst the choking dust in what we could tell was definitely more room than cave.

"You okay?" she asked, seeming only marginally interested in the answer as she began to look around. "Wait here, I've got a few torches in my bag."

Shaking off my disorientation, I took a step forward and found that I'd landed in wet sand that surrounded a small pool of water with the remains of an almost completely disintegrated well around it.

I subjected a scooped handful of liquid to a smell test before tentatively taking a tiny taste with the tip of my tongue. Not convulsing in agony and tasting nothing more than slightly silty water, I breathed a sigh of relief and began working to clear the area to allow us to actually get usable water from this old well.

"Found water," I said.

Phina lit a torch, the fading beam of light from the dying sunlight above now drowned out in the brightly crackling fire. "Good. Keep doing what you're doing. I'm going to explore a little further in."

"Don't go too far, this place could be full of traps," I offered as I managed to dig out enough of the area around the spring to allow for a puddle to form. It wasn't going to be pure-filtered by reverse osmosis, but it was certainly better than dying of thirst under the desiccating desert sun or hiking back to the river again.

"Yeah, I'll shout if we need to avoid a giant boulder," she called out as she walked down the nearby hallway.

Once I was satisfied that I'd filled our water skins with the cleanest water I could manage, I moved to follow Phina, physically running into her only seconds after turning the corner.

"What the-? What's wrong?" I asked nervously as Phina seemed determined to back over me.

"I saw something move...and not a little something," she answered back in a shaky whisper. "I think it was saying to 'get out'."

Knowing full well that the line between bravery and stupidity was completely different where mamono were concerned, I stepped around Phina and grabbed the torch. "Well, we _are_ here to find someone. Maybe it's her? Just stay back a bit...if it's a mamono, I can probably keep her distracted with my sublime flesh falchion, right?" I finished with a gesture toward my crotch.

"Worthless walloon, more like. Sure, that's great reasoning-and what if she latches on and decides to not let go forever?" Phina asked with a look bordering on disgust.

"Then _you_ go first! I was trying to be nice!" I whispered back as loudly as I could.

In answer, Phina looked away and gently nudged me toward the other end of the tunnel. Rather than press the issue any further, I began moving forward.

The atmosphere down here was oppressive, though not from the heat or stagnant air. The air was actually quite cold, bordering on uncomfortable. It felt instead like there was a conscious presence all around us, like the feeling of someone literally breathing down our necks.

Advancing past several collapsed hallways, we made a final turn to see a slight glow ahead of us at the end of an unbroken corridor. Also ahead of us was drastically colder air that seemed to be originating from that same unnatural illumination.

I didn't see anything moving, or even any place where something could have been hiding except perhaps in the room ahead or beneath the copious piles of rubble strewn across the entire area.

"That's either who we're looking for or…" I began before trailing off. "Well, let's just hope that's her," I quickly added.

As we approached our destination, the hall became more and more cluttered with random debris. At one point, as the pair of us were forced to climb over the rubble that had been piled up, we finally realized that it wasn't just rocks and broken stone, but countless bones and ancient weapons that clogged the hallway.

I counted at least a few dozen skulls displaying varying degrees of inhumanity before I gave up the grim inventory. Whatever happened down here had ended a _lot_ of lives.

The sudden realization made me lose my balance and tumble forward toward the strange light, losing the torch completely as I hit the ground. Looking up from the hard stone floor, now able to see only by the light of what now appeared to be a large crystal ahead of me, I saw a lone skeleton, still standing upright, as it guarded the entrance to the room in which there was a very large crystal, not unlike the ones I had seen used to imprison Meryl and Risa.

From the long tail and wing bones of the upright skeleton, along with my own personal experience having seen similar bones in motion, the skeleton standing before me was definitely a dragon. That thought came with a sudden turning in the pit of my stomach.

"Phina...this isn't who we were supposed to find, is it?" I asked as I rose to my feet.

"I'm not sensing any necromantic energy...wait," Phina said as she moved closer. "These bones are held together by frost. Shit, I thought it was just a fantasy trope but...this woman died on her feet, guarding this crystal it looks like. She's also holding some sort of small glass orb."

Phina looked lost in thought for a moment before she continued, "Medea lectured on and on about this damn crystal. I don't know if she invented it or just thought it was the best thing ever when she learned about it, but I think...I think the person we want is inside the crystal."

"Are you sure it isn't just magic ice? I think I can even see the cold rolling off of it."

"No, this is definitely what we're here for. Give me a minute," Phina said as she pulled a pile of scrolls from her bag and began making notes. "There are two enchantments at work here. There's the sealing crystal and...something else. I think I can figure it out…"

Phina continued to talk to herself as she puzzled through the complex runic structure of the crystal before us.

"Got it!" She suddenly exclaimed, making a mark in the air that caused a spectral projection to manifest.

In the air before our eyes, we saw the slow construction of a complex enchantment rune. Once the design completed, it started over, running in a magical holographic loop with no other obvious purpose.

"I've never seen a rune like that," I offered, likely unhelpfully.

"It's some kind of fortifying rune...or maybe some kind of permanence? I didn't get around to learning more than just very basics of rune structure, but the weird thing is that the enchantment isn't on the crystal itself. It's been projected onto whoever is inside just...going through this pattern since it was laid down," Phina said in a deeply puzzled tone.

I wasn't quite sure what she meant but the longer I stared at that rune, the more it felt like it was...whispering to me. It felt like, if I could just focus hard enough to hear it, I'd be able to learn its name.

"This rune must be-" I began, reaching out in my mind for the only name that it could possibly have.

Phina nearly shouted as she interrupted me. "Exactly! This rune, or some part of it, must have been generated by that ritual Durand has been after! If someone really is in here, this little light show has been playing out in their vision...or dreams or...whatever people see when they're in one of these crystals. And since there is still some demonic energy in this chamber, it should definitely have taken hold upon her by now."

That wasn't at all what I was thinking before Phina interrupted me. Something about seeing the rune made me want to imagine that there was a name for it. And wasn't that close to ten millennia ago?

"What does that mean?" I asked, a bit worried for the sanity of whoever was locked within, having had to potentially watch the same animated gif on repeat for ten thousand years.

"I hope it means that she'll be unstoppable with whatever power that ritual granted her. Also that she'll be our friend and teach me that rune!" Phina joked with a small laugh, frowning when I didn't share in her mirth. "Hey, complex runes are hard to learn! Anyway, I'm going to break this crystal stasis prison-be ready to...uh...you know."

"What, you want me to strip naked? Maybe we try talking first and see where that takes us, okay?"

Expecting some sort of complex ritual, Phina looked to me with a self confident smile and remarked. "Just so you know, I may only have learned three spells, but I'm pretty damn good at them. Here's the first one!"

I suddenly felt a sensation similar to the one I'd felt in Durand's ritual room as it seemed reality itself was being drawn to a singular point. Unlike that devastating magical backlash, this ended quickly and with much less pain.

For the span of a heartbeat, while the titanic pull of magic drew into that small central point, I felt my heart skip a beat at the vague notion that I'd forgotten something important. Just as quickly as the thought manifested, however, it was gone.

Phina's entire form was bathed in white as she appeared to shout a word, the sound itself becoming magic as it left her lips. And then, spare moments after she'd begun, the crystal shattered.

In the moment before the room went completely black again, I saw the definite form of a woman from within the crystal falling to her knees on the floor.

"Oh shit, I forgot about the torch," Phina cursed as she fumbled to get the fire going in the now utter blackness.

As the spark finally caught and the fire danced back to life, I found myself centimeters from being nose to nose with the not at all disoriented gaze of the woman we'd just freed.

Her skin was the pale of snow reflecting moonlight, contrasting with silver scales where the human-seeming flesh stopped causing her entire body to appear luminous in the flickering firelight. Her membranous finned ears moved slightly as they reacted to the slightest sounds and a pair of large horns sat triumphantly atop her head of long flowing icy blue hair. Behind her swung a long, powerful tail beneath a pair of wings that were folded tightly behind her.

She took a breath, her exhalation reminding me of a late spring cold snap as the icy breath tickled my short facial hair. The chill wasn't enough to stop me from being drawn deeply into the vaguely almond shaped spectacle of her slit reptilian eyes. Her powerful gaze was delivered by an amber-ringed dark red of the outer iris, erupting into a fiery sea of carnelian as one drew closer to the center. And there, tied around the pupil like a lasso, was a thin but utterly unmistakable ring of sparkling emerald.

This was a dragon, and the fierceness in her stare was making damn sure I knew it.

"Hey," I said simply, surprised that I was able to keep my voice from cracking as I made at least a passing attempt to give her a charming smile..

Before she could answer, an impossibly loud voice, seemingly amplified by magic, called out to us, sounding like it was coming from outside.

"This is the Ahmose Historical Preservation League! This and all ruins within proximity of the Lake of Glass are the sole property of Lord Ahmose! Leave anything you may have touched and come out now!" the voice boldly declared.

"Shit!" Phina called out, from behind some nearby rubble behind which she'd concealed herself. "We can't exactly leave her. What are we-?"

Looking back I saw that the glassy orb that the upright skeleton had been holding appeared to have vanished. There was really only one place it could have gone but I certainly didn't have the time to bitch at Phina about why she'd taken it. I probably would have looted it myself if I'd thought of it more quickly.

I shook my head and went to reach for my weapon. There was no way I'd let them take this girl if there was any chance she'd be an ally. That she was a person and not a thing probably rated on my list of reasons, but I wasn't going to be getting past my selfish need for allies until things started going right.

Before my hand could actually touch my blade, the dragon girl stood up and began striding toward the voice.

Holy shit.

She was a _huge_ bitch. Only slightly shorter than Kaeli, this dragon girl compensated with far greater muscle tone and definition that damn near bordered on masculine. Despite myself, I couldn't help but notice her rather unimpressive breasts offset by the pleasing swell of her wide hips and large, beautifully firm posterior.

There was no doubt that she was still an attractive female. More than anything else though, watching her simply walk was enough to easily drag my jaw toward the core of the planet.

Each and every movement of her body, however natural it may have been for her to make, looked as though it had been the model for what could only be poorly recreated in humans and other beings. Her entire form flowed like water even while looking to have been perfectly carved from flawless ivory.

If I blinked, her form remained burned into my eyelids until they opened again. Was this perfection all a result of that ritual?

I was so mesmerized by the dragon girl's movements that I only had the presence of mind to remember where I was when she leapt up to the sands above with a single beat of her large scaly wings.

"Come on," I said to Phina, moving back toward our point of ingress into this broken castle with a single look back to the frozen draconic skeleton.

Phina was kind enough to help me back up to the surface where I caught the tail end of a one sided conversation.

"...is punishable by removal of Ahket status, exile, or death in serious cases. If you'll just accompany us back to Umbra, we can get this matter straightened out."

Taking a look around, I saw the two men we'd encountered before as well as six mamono. They were armed but didn't look to be hardened soldiers. The apparent leader of them, a goblin wearing a hilariously inspired Hollywood archaeologist costume, complete with a familiar fedora, was doing the speaking.

Behind her looked to be the muscle of their group. With a stone-scaled worm-like body that was truly massive, ending in a maw of jagged teeth, this looked to be one of the only true "monsters" I'd seen here. I would have been (more) terrified if I hadn't seen the inside of the great beast's maw.

With its sapient, prehensile, woman-shaped tongue, this great worm thankfully revealed its mamono nature. That didn't guarantee survival, but it felt like it at least made it more likely.

As Phina and I arrived back on the surface, the man we'd encountered earlier spoke up. "Those are the two we encountered. I don't know who this other one is."

If the dragon girl was listening, she didn't seem interested in the least as her eyes seemed to look all around, finally settling upon the dying light on the horizon.

"Look, we're actually sort of in a hurry," I said. "I'm actually sort of a personal friend of Ahmose and-"

"That is _Lord_ Ahmose!" the goblin called out angrily. "I don't care how...attractive or...huh…"

Her voice trailed off a bit as her eyes seemed to focus on me in an entirely different way. When they did, all I could do was sigh, realizing that I'd probably never escape the fallout from the "goblin incident" with Sunslayer and her friends.

Shaking her head as though I'd been trying to enchant her with a sleep spell, the goblin continued, "Now we definitely have to take you all in. Anyone that would make such a claim about the Lord is potentially dangerous. We don't want any trouble so let's move."

Well, that's that. Even if I could handle six normal opponents, there was no way I'd be able to deal with that massive sandworm. Meeting with Ahmose would probably clear up any misunderstandings anyway, and if she truly was a Lord now, perhaps she'd be able to provide some assistance for my quest.

"Whoa! Where are you going?" the goblin suddenly demanded, drawing my eyes to the dragon girl as she bodily picked me up and began to walk in another direction entirely.

"You can't be addressing me" the dragon called back over her shoulder with a note of absolute certainty. "Wasting words on lesser beings is so tiring, but I understand the chain of command. Tell your 'lord' that the Bloodhorn dragon slayer and I will be withdrawing to the rear camp to join the rest of the Skyrender."

The goblin stood stunned with a look of astonishment for several seconds before she snapped back into the moment. "If you don't come with us, we will-!"

Then waving the goblin off as though shooing a fly, the dragon set me back on my feet and nudged my back twice, the second time much harder than the first. The look in her eyes was one of unwavering insistence as I began to walk in the direction she'd pushed me.

The dragon turned and made a wing assisted leap to land directly in front of the goblin. Her eyes narrowed as she spoke down, literally and figuratively, to the goblin, "Have you ever heard of the dragon game 'use the commander as a weapon to beat her soldiers to death'? I hold the clan record with eleven soldiers before my weapon fell apart. Whenever you're ready to start, just say the word."

Had she really just said that? This group didn't even look like they were thinking about getting violent and a few moments with Ahmose would easily clear up any confusion regarding our presence.

The goblin looked mortified, her mouth opening in shock. If this group ran back to Ahmose and told her that we'd threatened their lives, we might lose her as a potential ally entirely. With Phina looking ready to hide herself under the sand the moment a fight broke out, it was quickly made clear that I was going to have to do something.

"Dragon!" I called out. "These people aren't your enemies. Just come with us and we'll get this all sorted out."

The dragon girl didn't take her eyes off the goblin as she answered, "If they were enemies they would already be dead. Do what you wish. I am going to rejoin the Flight. Lord Akuma's forces will have been sorely pressed without my presence."

I had serious doubts that this was going to go well, but it was probably better to tear the bandage off quickly.

Keeping my voice as powerfully confident as I could, I replied, "You've been sealed in that crystal for thousands of years! Akuma has been gone for so long that history has nearly forgotten her existence. Your war is long over, dragon."

That certainly got the dragon's attention. She turned toward me with a look of almost amused anger that couldn't have been more chilling if I'd jumped through the ice of a frozen river while the group surrounding us began to back away slowly.

The dragon took several stalking steps toward me. "I thought it was a dragon slayer speaking, but all I see is a traitor trying to keep me from the fight." She then added after a moment of reflection, "Ah. This succubus has stolen your heart. I will free you from her grasp."

Phina suddenly took several steps back in fearful shock. "He's telling the truth! Wormtongue locked you in that crystal to protect you in exchange for the ritual to keep it out of Durand's hands. That lich betrayed your clan. I wouldn't even touch this filthy-!"

I stepped to interpose myself between Phina and the dragon as I spoke up, my voice now more forceful in my declaration, "No mamono owns me. The lich that sold out your clan has my family and we released you to seek your help in assaulting her castle. Whether you want to help or not is up to you, but-"

"Protect me?!" the dragon roared back, the air around us turning noticeably colder as she did so. "I am the Great and Mighty Ila, Winglord of the Skyrender Dragonflight, Chosen Champion and Blessed of Lord Akuma! The entire island is in more danger from my clan than we are from anything on it!"

True or not, this was quickly about to get out of hand. "Maybe you're right, but you can clearly see that your clan isn't here. They either had to flee or…" I hesitated before adding the more likely reality, "...or they died to defend you. I'm sure you saw that there were a lot of dragon bones below."

Ila snarled as she took to the air, hovering above us as she called down imperiously, "Save your pitiful lies for your bat-winged slut. I will turn the tide of the war myself if I must." She then cast a reproachful look at me and spat, "I pity the Bloodhorn that ever let herself fall to you."

I shouted back, even in my anger failing to come anywhere near her volume, "It was Antarylixi of the Bloodhorn clan! Call me a liar, a coward, or whatever you want, but dragon or no, I won't stand here and listen to you run at the mouth about things you could never hope to understand!" I gestured to the horizon and continued my tirade, "So go! Try to find this clan no one remembers. When you fail, find us in Umbra within the week for answers or fuck off to wherever."

She'd already begun flying to the north before I'd finished, but her anger at my words was palpable enough that I fully expected her to wing over in the air and dive for me with a mind for murder.

Even with her gone, the tension of the moment hadn't really lessened. Whoever this Historical Preservation League was, they certainly weren't expecting or prepared to handle an angry dragon when they came after us.

I might have tried to escape in the confusion, especially since I was pretty sure Phina had _actually_ stolen something from those ruins. Fuck it.

"Dragons. Am I right?" I offered in an attempt to pull the teeth off the recent panic. "So...you said something about taking us to Umbra?"

Finding her voice again, the goblin commander of the bunch swallowed hard and nodded. "R-right." She then looked to a harpy that I hadn't even noticed behind me and nervously added, "Go ahead of us and report this to...I don't even know...The Wrath? I don't know who else would know how to deal with a dragon that delusional."

The harpy took to the skies with only a nod, vanishing into the growing dusk.

Turning back to me, the goblin couldn't hide a look of relief as she weakly commanded, "We'll camp here for the night. It shouldn't take us more than a few days to reach Umbra."

A million thoughts tussled with each other within my head to be spoken first. The winner of that internal struggle came out as a disappointed sigh.

I didn't want to lose Ila as a potential ally, but until she could at least accept reality, she was less than useless. Maybe I could have been a bit more delicate in how I'd thrown her beliefs into a furnace. I'd just have to find a way to make it up to her the next time I saw her.

That meant we'd be spending at least a week in "Umbra". Based on the name, I could only hope it wasn't a prison.


	5. Chapter 5 - Umbra

Chapter 5 - Umbra

-Elsewhere-

It wasn't until her wings carried her aloft into the silent evening that Ila noticed that something was already wrong. The distant claps of the unnatural thunder she had heard for the last many months of the war had stopped completely. It made more sense to believe that Queen Leyla had been killed by Ila's kin.

Ila would not consider that the tiny man and the succubus had spoken true.

She disregarded her mother's explicit orders to stay far away from the place, and flew toward the fortress of her enemies. Ila expected to see an ordered front, or a disordered one, or a mountain of corpses or...something.

What she saw was the Lake of Glass, the unnatural place reflecting the starlight back up at her like a mirror. The impregnable fortress that had stopped Lord Akuma's invincible dragon legions when nothing else could...had been reduced to a desolate crater.

Ila may not have been a wise woman, but her heart fell at the sight. As much as she hated her enemies, she respected strength. Queen Leylagül's forces had fought like true dragons using their metal thunder. What could possibly defeat an enemy that had thrown back her otherwise unstoppable kin? The man couldn't have been right, could he?

If she had been sealed by treachery, her clan would have released her once the fighting was done. She even believed that, in the unlikely event that _they_ had been victorious, her enemies would have broken the prison, if only to see her executed.

Letting loose an enraged scream, Ila turned east and flew toward the first fallback location. Then the second, third, and fourth. Standing at the base of the great mountains, in the place her clan was to regroup in case of a strategic withdrawal or, however impossible, a rout, she found only ancient trees and silence.

Stalking quietly through the unfamiliar forest that shouldn't have been there with a growing sense of confusion, Ila made her way up and along the mountains for hours to a place only she and her mother knew. She finally alighted on a rocky ledge before a rock face almost imperceptibly scored with long faded claw marks and pressed in three specific places with her claws. There was a distant sound of something falling before a seam split the rock and a door swung inward.

What had once been a mountain of gold, jewel, and priceless artifacts within the cave had dwindled to almost nothing by the time the ritual had finally begun. Now within the cave should have been the meager stack of gold coins that remained of her once vast treasure horde and also, she hoped, some sign or message from her mother.

Ila steeled herself for what she might find within and stepped into the darkness, finding only a blanket of dust sitting thick upon a tiny handful of dragon-marked gold coins and a growing need to make _someone_ pay for the reality she was now being forced to accept.

-

The massive city of Umbra was not how I might have pictured it based on the name. It was, however, a city teeming with activity. Laborers, merchants, and folk of every variety moved everywhere I looked.

All along the main thoroughfare lay a great bazaar where merchants called to passerby, looking to trade. Smaller and less organized than the Alnor market, I was no less impressed by the sight, especially given how much more open the area was. I also saw few, if any, brothels. That made me wonder over more than a few things.

I did, however, see at least a half dozen very public displays of...affection. None of the couplings I witnessed appeared to be between married couples, however. It didn't look like outright sexual assault, but the looks on the faces of the men involved were closer to duress than affection. Perhaps the city whores only worked on the streets here?

Looking back to the city itself, I saw that many of the buildings looked very old, built from massive blocks of solid stone, while newer less sturdy construction seemed to have been thrown up, on, and around the ancient foundation. And while a great many construction projects seemed geared toward this newer style of building, just as many looked to be dedicated to repairing and restoring the old.

It was also impossible to miss that Umbra, however massive, had once been home to a great many more people. Dozens or hundreds of buildings we passed within the city walls looked abandoned or destroyed.

Now seeming interested in being a tour guide, the goblin began, "The civil war hit us pretty hard, but since Ahmose became the Lord, the city at least has been recovering quickly. The laws take some getting used to, but that mark on your hand means you don't have to worry about it unless you stay in the region for longer than three months."

Curious, I asked, "Why three months? What happens after that?"

She scratched her head nervously before answering, "Well you either get a job quickly, or the Akhet will keep you busy repopulating the land."

"Akhet?"

She nodded, "They'd be the true citizens of the region. They can legally claim any Hemu-those are the non-citizens-pretty much whenever they want. It's a little easier to earn Akhet status now than it was before, but...well, you can look into it if you plan to stay here." She then added as an afterthought, "Assuming the Lord doesn't decide to punish you as a threat to the realm."

The laws already sounded...odd. I'd have to make it point to read up on them or to be gone before hitting that three month mark.

Phina and I were lead into the largest building in the city, the massive ziggurat seeming almost like a miniature city on its own as it opened back up to the sky. Further in, I saw a small throne sitting within a grand open pavilion. My money was on that being where the Lord sat.

Thankfully lead back in out of the oppressive sun and into a large office, the goblin turned to us. "Wait here. I'm going to go get...uh...someone."

"You've been really quiet," I said to Phina as soon as we were alone.

That she wasn't talking was hardly new, but since using her magic to release Ila from that crystal, she'd been almost completely silent. Beyond that, she'd gone from stealing glances at me to an outright refusal to even look in my general direction.

It seemed I wasn't going to get an answer just yet as I heard approaching footsteps along with a familiar voice, angry, seeming to berate the goblin that had brought us here. "...Cannot entertain every wild-eyed lunatic that claims they know-" the succubus Genevieve stopped abruptly as she turned the corner to see us as she continued in a frustrating tone, "-And of _course_ it's you. Both of you. Lovely."

I smiled and gave an exaggerated bow. "You _did_ say that I should come visit when I didn't need to ask you for something."

Genevieve scowled at me and gestured to Phina. "That is true, Joseph. _She_ , however, was here recently to earnestly beg me to-" she cut herself off with a deep breath to calm herself after seeing Phina's apparent look of horror. "It is of no consequence. This aligns with the Lord's interests."

"Uh..." I droned, feeling like I'd missed at least one important conversation.

Phina remained silent and Genevieve just shook her head, gesturing for us to sit. "Phina can tell you if it pleases her. And while I truly wish I could simply dismiss you to attend to the many duties for which I am responsible, Lord Ahmose has been hoping you would visit and would like to speak with you once the sun has set. Remain here and I will have food and drink brought for you while you wait."

"Thank you," I offered with a smile.

"And definitely some salve for that terrible sunburn, Joseph. You really must take better care of yourself," Genevieve added with an exasperated smile before leaving the room.

In short order we were treated to a generous helping of wine and some sort of meat and vegetables that tasted to have been heavily seasoned with saffron. It wasn't Risa's home cooking, but at least it wasn't that damnable oatmeal.

"So uh...does it please you?" I asked Phina while I rubbed the sweet smelling salve over my sunburned skin. I was hoping she might spill at least a few beans.

She sighed heavily as if to preface her answer. Then again. After her third sigh, she finally answered, "You're going to find out eventually. I'm using you."

"This is news?"

"I mean your connections," she corrected. "It's not as if I could bring my daughter with me on this insane mission and I didn't trust anyone else to care for her until we finish this...or likely die in the process."

"Cripes, you sound like me," I joked in an attempt to lighten the mood. I could definitely relate. "At least you know she's safe, right?"

That actually got a small smile from her. "There are so many ways you could have fucked up that moment. Thank you for saying the one thing that I can take as a comfort." Phina then set her eyes upon me, finally ready to have an actual conversation. "I came here then laid your name down _hard_ and managed to convince Genevieve to work something out for me."

Was that supposed to even have a chance at upsetting me?

"Well good. It's great that someone knowing my name actually lead to something beneficial for once. But let's make a pact to _not_ die on that mountain."

I'd been hoping for a smile but I just got a somber shake of her head as she replied, "You really have no idea what we're up against. I mean...neither do I, really. What I _do_ know is that whatever you saw last time was basically the bottom of South Teremir's third string roster. Even without outside help, which Durand could easily afford…" she let the thought die before quickly finishing, "It just doesn't look good."

Cutting through the tension, Genevieve's voice gently called out, "Now, now. Don't say something so gloomy. You don't want to fail before you even begin, and it's not as if our _dear_ Joseph here hasn't survived throwing himself at the impossible before. Durand needs to be taken care of by someone's hand. Why not yours?"

Before either of us could answer, I found myself on a knee with my eyes fixed upon the floor.

Ahmose.

-

-Elsewhere-

The dragon slayer and the demon slut looked to be Ila's most likely chance to get some answers on what had transpired and the fate of her clan. If even part of what she had just been told was correct, coupled with the fact that she'd remained trapped within that crystal for so long...it just painted a rather bleak picture for her.

It was with these thoughts turning over and over in her head that she made her way back toward the desert, making herself oblivious to how different even the landscape seemed from what she remembered.

She wasn't actually snapped out of her reverie until she felt the heavy press of a large arm on her shoulder.

The voice attached to the arm drew her back into the moment. "You keep ignoring me and we're tearing those pretty wings off."

Apparently she hadn't been listening for a while.

Looking at the slightly shorter ogre that stood before her, Ila disinterestedly asked, "What is it, chattel? I am not interested in having my wings cleaned right now."

"You hearing this? Mer, use it," the ogre growled.

Still not sure what could have possessed the greenskin before her to even speak to someone of her station, Ila was taken by surprise when a shiny silver choker was snapped onto her neck by someone behind her.

"Oh, there are more of you," Ila remarked as she saw at least a dozen mamono surrounding her.

The ogre wore a wicked grin when she spoke again. "That's mighty observant, majesty. And that pretty little necklace will make sure you stay just like that until you lead us back to your treasure pile."

"Ah," Ila remarked in response, looking as though she had just figured out what was happening. "You must have heard that, along with my incomparable strength and surpassing humility, I, The Great and Mighty Ila, Winglord of the Skyrender Dragonflight, Chosen Champion and Blessed of Lord Akuma, have always been known for my boundless generosity. Very well. In exchange for this reasonably fashionable trinket, I shall allow you all to live despite having spoken to me out of turn. You may all go now."

With that, Ila began walking again, not noticing or caring that the vagrants that had very nearly soured her mood with their appearance were all drawing weapons.

Ila had heard of this affliction before. The lesser beings, she knew, were easily frightened when in the presence of draconic nobility. She'd even heard tales of her cousins being unintentionally _attacked_ by such creatures, gripped as they were by the very presence of a true dragon.

With the dreadful looks the lesser mamono were now wearing, Ila sighed. She had somewhere important to be and she'd have to put them all down.

As much as she wanted to spare the beasts such a fate, there were limits to even Ila's vast benevolence.

-

"Rise, please. Both of you," the childlike Lord Ahmose said with little motions of her hands to drive the point home more adorably.

I couldn't say that I felt a greater power from Ahmose than I had the first time I'd met her, but this time she seemed calmer or more self assured. And I didn't exactly have a frame of reference on how powerful she'd truly been in the first place.

"It's good to see you again," I offered with a smile. "So you've become a Lord?"

Ahmose gave me a tiny smile. "I am no more or less than I was when we first met, Joseph. If I seem to glow brighter, it is only because there are now many more people that lend me their light."

Well, she certainly seemed too _nice_ to be a ruler.

"You worry for me?" Ahmose asked, picking that up from my expression. "That is kind of you, Joseph. I know that some of my new laws have upset many. But it is hard to see the pain of your neighbor when your own family suffers. I can only hope that the faster recovery is worth that temporary suffering."

Feeling embarrassed and more than a little out of my depth, I replied simply, "I see."

"Let us sit," Ahmose said. "My Wrath has already told you I wished to speak with you about two things. But first, you have a request for me?"

I'd have checked to make sure my current task wasn't spelled out on a sign that had been stapled to my chest if this had been the first time someone had been able to see right through me.

"I am looking for assistance recovering my family from Durand. I feel guilty even asking, but is there anything you can do to help?" I asked plainly.

"Hmm," she answered, looking a bit confused. "I do not think that is the right request, Joseph."

"It isn't?"

"No, it is not."

"Uh...which request is the right request?" I asked, confused.

She tapped her chin with her index finger. "Perhaps I can help. There are two things I wanted to talk to you about. Maybe you'll have the right request ready once we are finished with those."

"Okay," I offered with a nod. Why was she being so confusing?

Ahmose gave me a cryptic smile before continuing. "Good. The first thing that I wanted to mention was that this world would be a better one if Durand were no longer in it."

"Right," I mumbled. "Blacksky. Why didn't you just ask me to kill her? I mean...even knowing she's the entire reason my life here has been so difficult, I don't really want to hurt anyone. But if I had to make an exception..."

Now she actually looked a bit agitated, sighing a bit before carefully answering, "When we first met, my powers were vastly weakened. With them stronger now than they have ever been, if I were to ask you to do something, you would do it. I do not want to force you to do anything, Joseph."

"You mean like some sort of mind control?"

"Not the mind, but the soul," she corrected.

Yikes. It was probably a damn good thing that I'd started off on the right foot with Ahmose or this could have been a nightmare.

"Okay so you're making a request without making a request. Got it." Then I scratched my head a moment and added, "But you're both more capable than I am. Is there some reason you can't get to her?"

Ahmose nodded. "There are two things that complicate this. The first is that she dwells within Teremir. By ancient pact, Teremir is neutral and we Lords and our servants cannot act within their borders."

Okay, that made sense. Though she still really seemed to be taking the long way around on this. But that at least explained why she said I wasn't making the right request. Was there something else she could help me with?

The word flew from my lips before I was even aware I was saying it.

"Zee."

"You mean Azalea of the former Ashtail Legion?"

"She gave me instructions to some...place. It's a riddle though and I don't even know where to begin. Can you help me?"

"I believe that is the correct request, Joseph." She then nodded to Genevieve and the succubus handed me a piece of parchment.

Ahmose then said, "Charisse kept few records and burned or destroyed most of the ones she did have. That piece of parchment contains an invitation and directions to the Midnight Market, here in Umbra. Someone there is waiting for you. She can set you on the path toward an answer."

"So you can't just...magic up a scrying pool or something to at least tell me if she's alive, at least?" I asked, likely sounding more desperate than hopeful.

Ahmose shook her head. "My power is great, but some things are beyond even a Lord. If she were dead, I could not say."

Great. That meant dealing with this riddle and lots of potential death traps. That, however, I was still hopeful about.

"Thank you," I said, meaning the words as much as I ever had.

Ahmose only made a small nod and then made a gesture with her hand to direct my vision to a picture that had been hung above the entryway. I'd been facing the other direction and hadn't even noticed it until now.

Seeing that picture made me groan. "Are you going to ask me for a signed copy of that damn painting too?"

"No, Joseph."

I'd never really sat down and taken a good look at the picture. I mean...I'd lived it. Though seeing it now, it was as though something about the picture seemed off. I stood and walked closer, drawn by a feeling I couldn't explain.

"Wait...this isn't...this can't be the painting," I stammered.

Genevieve pushed herself against my back, close enough to whisper into my ear. "Ah, but that's exactly where you signed it when you brought this to me, no?"

It definitely was where I signed it and it definitely was my signature. This wasn't possible though. It had to be some sort of elaborate forgery. But then why was this even being shown to me?

"What are your daughters names, Joseph?" Ahmose asked, distracting me momentarily from the very wrong painting before me. I guess hadn't really spoken to her beyond the one time we'd met in Blacksky when we released her from the city.

It seemed an odd question at the moment, to say the least.

"Aurielle and Arianwyn," I offered, quickly adding, "Oh, and I'd count my adopted daughter Lorelei too."

"I see." Ahmose wasn't adding anything.

I was starting to feel sick. Something was very _very_ wrong.

Genevieve began whispering in my ear again. "Lord Ahmose is not a voyeur. I, however, most certainly am, and what I love the most about this picture is that the artist captured not only the fiery unbridled lust of the act, but the look of adoration and love on all three of your faces. That look? It can't be faked."

If that were true, then how in the blazing _fuck_ did the painting show me, Risa...and the violet-eyed bane of my entire existence, Durand?


	6. Chapter 6 - Sand

Chapter 6 - Sand

If it had just been Genevieve, I might have believed I was just being fucked with. But even with how little I truly knew about Ahmose, the look on her face told me that this was definitely no joke.

Rather than concentrate on how the fuck she'd ended up in that picture, I found myself looking at everything I'd been through with a more skeptical eye. I wasn't liking the answers I was finding and, even worse, the answers I _wasn't_.

Genevieve was the first to break the silence. "So I take it this comes as somewhat of a shock? You certainly wouldn't have copulated with Durand, correct?"

"No!" I shouted in defiance, more softly correcting, "Well...I mean not in Alnor! I was tied up in her dungeon and...there were a lot of things…"

Barely covering her anger with something entirely different Genevieve spoke up again. "This sounds like something I'd truly love to hear when my Lord is not present, Joseph."

Ahmose raised a hand, cutting us both off before anything else could be said. "I only wanted you to see this and consider for a moment what it might mean, Joseph."

What it meant? That Durand had been with me since moments after I arrived in this world? That, beyond simple betrayal, I had been happily lead as a lamb to a slaughter? That… _wait_. No...that wasn't possible. There had to be some other-

"Joseph. That is all the time I have," Ahmose suddenly said, cutting off my train of thought so expertly that I was having a hard time even getting myself back to what I'd just been thinking about.

Ahmose then walked up to me and placed her tiny hands on my face, her stare stripping me to my soul as she spoke again. "Now, you must live. Consider those doubts once you have taken back your family, Joseph."

I nodded. No part of me could conceive of any other response.

Releasing my face, Ahmose's smile returned and I felt the stress leave the room entirely. "You and your friend Phina have already much for me and the people of these lands, so if you ever choose to live here, it will ever be as one of the Akhet."

"Is it difficult to earn that status otherwise?" I asked, as I looked at the mark resembling a harvest moon that drew into focus on the back of my hand.

Ahmose offered an enigmatic smile to my question. "For one as dedicated to procreation as you, Joseph? Not at all. In a decade or two, once the population of the land has recovered, the laws will also not need be as strict. But we have taken as much time as we are able."

Genevieve quickly ushered the pair of us out the door without another word where a jackal-eared woman took over and silently lead us back to the street.

"Well that was...interesting," I remarked to Phina. "So what did _you_ do for Ahmose?"

"I don't want to talk about it," she shot back, pulling the parchment from my hands. "The Midnight Market, was it? Let's go."

Phina was making it hard to want to do anything other than throw sand in her face. Running over my own thought processes, it seemed like I'd lately been doing a lot of thinking about how Phina was being more of a bitch than normal. I'd been right in every instance, yes, but at this rate it would be a matter of days, at best, before we'd literally be trying to kill each other.

"Fine, I get it," I remarked all too sagely. "Knowing that you've been here in the desert explains a few things at least."

"Oh?" she called back disinterestedly as we wound through buildings and eventually down a long set of ancient stone stairs into the much darker underground.

I smirked as I replied, "It certainly explains how you got all the sand in your va-"

Maybe it was my comment or maybe it was the smarmy grin I was wearing when she spun on me, but Phina didn't even hesitate as she growled and threw a vicious straight punch directly to my groin.

Even with the protection of my armor, the pain had me on the ground a moment later as I struggled to breathe.

"Oh you poor dear," she said as she leered down at me. "Talking like that...I was sure you liked it rough."

I had no words. Actually, I had an entire dictionary of words and no ability to speak any of them.

As I struggled to pull myself out of the fetal position, I saw Phina slump to the ground next to me in a groaning heap only moments later. The look of surprise on her face said plainly enough that she'd been attacked.

I was not _quite_ ready to let her die just yet. Soldiering through the blinding pain as best I could, I immediately reached for my primary weapon when a gentle hand caught my wrist, the hand showing pale skin between deep scars.

"You are safe, father," I heard a familiar voice remark. "But I am quite sad to say that you deserved that."

Looking as aware as she had when I'd seen her in Kaori, Lorelei smiled down at me through a shimmering curtain of her beautiful silvery hair.

"Uuuuuh," I groaned, still overcome by a pain that rolled over me in nonstop waves.

"When did you start learning to speak zombie, father?" she asked, adding with a slight blush, "Though perhaps you should...practice a bit more before attempting to use it in conversation."

-

-Elsewhere-

Mira had already been turned down by more than a dozen mercenary companies as she tried to gather assistance for that man's foolish endeavor. The search had not been going well.

With a deep sigh, Mira tried to remain at least a little hopeful about the venture despite knowing firsthand that Durand's magic corps and elite fighters could well hold back an assault from an entire legion for months or years if pressed. Even with a way around the impregnable gates, it was going to take a lot more muscle, either in quantity or quality, to turn this whole thing into something less bleak than an outright suicide mission.

Mira would argue later that she was only helping Joseph in the first place to repay the debt to him. The truth that she wouldn't dare admit was that she simply wanted the man to be hers.

How was he still standing? How was he still moving forward? How was he even still alive?

She didn't have answers to any of those questions or to the fact that he could still somehow find it in himself to smile at anything beyond a quick and merciful death.

So Mira decided that she would do this for him. She would do whatever she could to gather whoever and whatever she could to enable him to take this risk. Mira believed that he was simply putting up a facade-and why not?-that impossible attitude had already drawn so many others to love and follow him. She was sure that when the time finally came to to make their assault upon Durand, the man would buckle.

He had to...because if he didn't-if a man that once tried to take his own life to escape his pain had more determination to live than anyone had any right to-she wouldn't be able to force herself to walk away, certainly not without forcing him to make good on one or both of his promises during their little game.

And that was what had brought Mira to this stronghold along the Ahmose/Amarante border to meet with these mercenaries.

Shel's Reavers were the largest remaining mercenary company anywhere west of the great mountains that had even given her an answer to the dozens of requests she'd sent to every mercenary company she could find. There had been a lot of rumors about the Reavers' questionable recruiting practices and illegal activities since the end of the war, but the best (or worst) mercenary companies in Kaori had already been paid to fight against her or to stay out of it.

She hoped her sister was doing better trying to track down powerful individuals and freelancers, because Mira was simply running out of options on her end.

"Let me get this straight," the particularly cantankerous skeleton leader of the Reavers argued, "You want us to take on South Teremir Mercantile directly in their main base of operations? To go after this Durand?"

"You'll be very well paid. I can guarantee that," Mira quietly countered.

The skeleton waved to several mamono that stood behind her as they circled around the witch. "That sounds like a great offer, but you're a bit late. We've already been paid. Coin upfront, actually. So unless you've got something to match South Teremir's offer, we've already got our orders."

She already knew that this was going to be a possibility once she'd heard that Durand's retainers had been throwing around gold and favors to damn near every sellsword on the island. She'd just been hoping that it hadn't happened so soon.

Already exhausted from the last several days of travel, Mira knew she wasn't going to be able to put up much of a fight. She'd been in worse situations, just not _much_ worse.

Mira threw her arm across her eyes to shield them and released a blinding magical flash, bolting for the door a moment later. She only got two steps, however, before a large minotaur hand had her by the throat, slamming her to the stone floor.

"So, little witch," the skeleton said as she leered down. "I'll let you send out one letter. We looked into this human you're working with and we're interested to see if he can beat South Teremir's offer. If he can bring that, with an extra fee for our inconvenience and his gender, we'll let you go and come kill this Durand with you. If he isn't here in a week, we'll just have to see if we can carve any information out of you worth selling, so I'd make that letter good."

It wasn't until Mira fervently nodded that the hand left her throat and she was able to breathe again. And as the parchment and quill were forced into her hands, she started to wish they'd just killed her.

A rescue, assuming Joseph could even mount or finance one, would stretch their resources even further beyond their already threadbare state. The alternative-giving in to their demands-was absolutely out of the question. If they truly were willing to turn for a larger pile of gold, there was no possibility that these mercenaries could ever be trusted.

"Damn him!" Mira silently cursed, her thoughts wrapped in more confusing emotions. She couldn't stand the thought that he wouldn't come to get her if she asked. What was far more terrifying, however, was the thought that he _would_.

Mira forced herself to forget what it was she wanted. She owed him her life, so she wrote the only thing that would make them even, ignoring how painful it was to actually put the words down.

 _I'm sorry, Joseph. Forget about our game._

 _Goodbye,  
Mira  
_

Ripping the parchment from Mira's hands as she finished, the skeleton smiled with her broken half face. "Oh this won't do at all. If he's as sweet on you as you are on him, he'll have to come. I think we'll just need to give him some extra motivation, yeah?"

Mira swallowed hard and steeled herself, even as the skeleton drew a large knife and began horrifyingly moving it toward her left eye.

-

Once I could once again breathe and acknowledge sensations in my universe beyond pain, I allowed Lorelei to help me to my feet.

"Maybe I did deserve that, but you haven't had to travel with her," I pleaded in defense of my incendiary statement from moments before.

"I do not like her in the slightest, father," Lorelei said as she kept her eyes trained on the succubus, looking as though she was trying to decide what to do with her. "Azalea and I caught her peeking into Karisa's kitchen window before you began your attempt to intentionally fail investing in the market correctly."

"Well don't hurt her, please. You know...any more than you already have, I guess." I said quickly, still not quite to the level of wanting Phina dead.

Lorelei offered a demure smile. "I have not harmed her, only drew some of her energy from her. In all truest sincerity, I took very little. If she has been disagreeable, it is likely due to being completely deprived and empty of demonic energy in any meaningful concentration. You have been with her for far more than a single day, so I assumed you would have long since consummated your partnership."

Wow. Did Lorelei know that words could hurt too? It felt like she was going for the jugular, however potentially unintentionally.

I frowned, looking hurt by her statement. "I'm so sorry to disappoint you, _daughter_ , but she wasn't about to lay with another 'filthy whore', as she put it."

Lorelei gave me a distressed look before pulling me into a hug. "Oh father, you are most certainly not filthy."

Despite the fact that she'd just called me a whore, however un-filthy, the genuine concern in her voice made it impossible to be truly mad at her.

"It's fine," I finally said, gently tapping out of the affectionate hug. "But despite what you might think, I'm not going to just dive on any woman that shakes her ass or tail in my direction."

As I said those words, a few things clicked and I had a sudden terrifying realization.

Leaning down to get a closer look at Phina, I mumbled mostly to myself, "It couldn't be...no. I mean...that was a dream, wasn't it?"

"You seem distressed. Is something the matter?" Lorelei asked, her brow furrowing as she looked down at me.

Phina took that opportunity to slowly open her eyes and scowl, first at me and then at Lorelei.

I needed the next couple moments to transpire without anger so I took a very soft tone as I asked Phina, "Why haven't you gone to see your daughter? She's here in the city, right?"

She rubbed her eyes, now looking positively exhausted, as she answered, "Because I didn't want you to see her. If you saw her or saw me with her...you'd tell me to stay here. You'd just start wondering more and more about what horrible thing Medea is holding over me. Then you'd start trying to get me to tell you so you could 'help' me with it."

Lorelei maintained her worried look as she pulled Phina up, offering her shoulder to help keep the succubus on her feet. "As her mother, Miss Phina...do you not think it more concerning to imagine her coming of age and stumbling upon him on the road as so many countless others have?"

Phina threw a look of absolute horror at Lorelei in answer to her question. With all the homework Phina had done figuring out who I was, that outcome didn't sound entirely impossible.

What was worrying me now, however, was that seeing Phina face down for that moment made me consider that I'd never seen another succubus with hair like Phina's outside of a dream I only half-remembered.

"Phina," I began simply, taking a deep breath before I continued. "You never touched me while I was asleep in Teremir or after I was...uh...overcome by the reforged Tizona, right?"

"No, neither of those times," she answered.

"What do you mean, 'those times'?" Why was I even asking the fucking question when I already knew the answer?

I started pacing before she could even say anything as I quickly added, "You said her father was a filthy, destitute whore, right?"

She knew I was avoiding the question I wanted to ask. Thankfully, she decided to bail me out of that instance of anxiety when she said, "Oh, you think because you had that dream about me that you might be the father?"

Phina must have heard me mention that dream just a few moments ago. Otherwise, that would mean-

She continued, answering her own question, "Because I figured you'd have had a lot more than just the one 'dream'. The alchemist that sold me that incense was a lot better than she let on."

What possible reason could she have had for-?

"And before you ask," Phina continued, "I needed the energy to continue my accelerated training. Happy?"

Destitute. That was the only word keeping me from screaming. Phina knew that I wasn't broke. Well, technically Meryl had ownership of all my previous holdings, and she was sealed in a crystal in Durand's castle. Phina couldn't have known all that, though.

While I quickly tried to mentally uncrack this egg, Phina continued, "Living in that nice house, I assumed you were doing okay. It wasn't until right about the time I was humiliating myself giving you that sponge bath that you mentioned you'd somehow lost a hundred million gold. Look, do you want to keep dancing around this? Maybe pretend this is another dream? It's done, and the moment I saw her face, I knew I wouldn't apologize to you for it either. I just didn't want you to have another distraction, or for her to see you and somehow recognize or remember you enough to cry later for two dead parents instead of just me."

"This, right here?" I growled. " _This_ is the fucking dream. Forget that you raped me in my sleep for...I don't even care for how long. You're telling me I-no-that _we_ have a fucking daughter and I don't even know her name! If you want to hate me for something I didn't even consciously do, fine. Keep hating me like you have up until now, but this-"

Phina angrily cut in, "I don't hate you!" She paused for a moment before adding, "But I absolutely hate you...and that's the problem."

There was another long pause before Phina shook her head and said, "Her name is Circe."

Realizing that a small crowd had gathered in the shadows of nearby alleyways to watch our real life mamono soap opera unfold in glorious high definition, Lorelei politely cut us both off.

"It certainly seems that you two will have a great deal to discuss over dinner, as well as the assistance I can provide regarding the Ashtail Legion that I was certain you would be seeking. For now, welcome to the Midnight Market, the darkest part of Lord Ahmose's shadow."

-

"Why did you not tell him the truth?" Genevieve asked of her Lord.

Ahmose sighed. "What is true to you and I is not true to the rest of the world."

"But it's still better for him to know!"

"Have you ever wondered why we forget our dreams?" Ahmose asked, pausing a moment before answering her own question, "I believe it is because they are too beautiful for our cynical waking minds to accept."

"You think he would just forget again," Genevieve stated plainly.

Ahmose shook her head. "I do not know, but that painting is frightening enough. It would be worse for him to remember the time they spent together, only to then find _her_ face painted over the happiness they shared. If only I had kept her bound to my sorrow…"

Genevieve waved her hands dismissively. "She had already been bound to another, my lady. It was my task to kill Durand. I wanted her to ask me to do it but somehow I knew she wouldn't. This is my fault."

The pair then sat in silence until the moon was high in the sky.

"Every single day I find something my powers as Lord can do nothing to fix," Ahmose quietly remarked. "But the gift of her memory, of my friend, my Sorrow, is treasure enough for now."

"My Lord," Genevieve said with a bow as she left Ahmose to her nightly reflection.

There were many warm feelings bound up within the ancient succubus as she was taunted by the memories of a person that only the other Lords and their closest servants could possibly remember. Among those many thoughts was not a single breath of forgiveness for Durand's existence.

Death was far better than that lich deserved, and after seeing the _interesting_ weapons Joseph had been carrying, Genevieve worried that Durand would escape even that. The only hope that remained was for something that was, as far as anyone knew, completely impossible.

She wanted her friend back.

-

-Elsewhere-

"Who was that witch?"

"Dunno."

"She wasn't one of Shel's Reavers. If she hasn't come out by now, she's probably dead."

"Or captured."

"Mercenaries don't take prisoners unless they're ordered to."

"You did."

"He's different!"

"And that's why we aren't allowed to touch him. We understand."

"So what are we doing?"

"There must be a hundred in there. We're beyond outmatched."

"We should just leave."

"But we could-wait. Who are those two heading toward the gate?"

"That dragon is bigger than Shaila was."

"We've fought dragons before."

"Always goes the same way."

"She isn't dressed like anyone in Shel's Reavers so maybe that other one recruited her?"

"Those scales of hers are really pretty."

"It doesn't look like they're going in. Is she just going to leave her there? She'll probably-"

The rapid fire conversation was interrupted when the large silver-scaled dragons booming voice demanded, "I am the Great and Mighty Ila, Winglord of the Skyrender Dragonflight, Chosen Champion and Blessed of Lord Akuma and I demand to speak to the dragon in charge! This remainder of your chattel was honorable enough to lead me here to seek reparations from you for attempting to strike me...as well as directions to the city of Umbra-which, make no mistake, I could very easily find but feel obligated to make certain you can accurately explain where it is."

"Uh…"

"You sure that isn't Dahlia?"

"Dahlia isn't that big, or silver. Pretty close on the arrogance though."

"Then…"

"We can't leave that man alone for too long or we won't be able to get him back to Sara to help the captain."

"If she isn't already dead."

"Helping that dragon helps us. We were trying to kill the Reavers, remember?"

"I'm feeling rusty, though."

"It's been four hours since your last fight."

"Exactly. Rusty."

"Quit talking to yourself and move."

"You quit talking to _your_ self."

Shaking the head on her shoulders, the chimaera hopped over the rock behind which she'd been hiding alone and quickly made her way toward the barred gate of the mercenary complex and the impossibly dense dragon that stood before it.


	7. Chapter 7 - A Fluid Reconciliation

Chapter 7 - A Fluid Reconciliation

I can't remember in the slightest what Lorelei offered for dinner. Phina's admission also hadn't made her any less silent, or her glaring any less hateful. Things were only going to get worse if we continued like this and, despite how she thought it might affect me, knowing that the stakes had been raised even further was just getting me more motivated in my determination to make sure we succeeded.

Realizing that, with my hunger now sated, I had been staring at an empty plate for several minutes, I finally spoke up, "Phina...you don't have to come with me."

Phina slammed her fork down on the table and scowled at me through the candlelight. "Right. Here we go. This is why I didn't want you to know."

"I'm not going to stop you or ask you to stay. I just wanted to tell you that you don't have to stick with me. I'll even tell Wormtongue I forced you to leave," I offered.

"No. You're just trying to absolve yourself of any responsibility for when things go wrong." She sighed and added, "Look, I'm too exhausted to even talk about this right now. I'm not leaving your side until we're done with this."

Lorelei politely stayed quiet while still looking ready to jump in if things didn't stay civil.

I placed my elbows on the table and folded my fingers together, resting my chin on my hands. "Fine. You said you're with me on this, so I won't bring it up again. I'm not going to ask about your reasons either. But look-and I don't know how to say this without sounding...wrong-but if you were okay taking my energy while I was unconscious before, why haven't you even asked me about getting more? Wouldn't you be worthless right now if we ran into a conflict?"

There was an exasperated acceptance in her voice even as she shook her head. "Let me just-look, I've just never been all that attracted to men. Yes, the energy I needed to continue training to be a sorceress killed any illusions I had about obtaining that energy, and even without you being actively involved, I found myself starting to get attached. I hoped you'd hate me after finding out about my daughter."

"Hate you? Huh?" With a sigh, I leaned forward to level my best look of sincerity at Phina and said, "It pissed me off that you weren't even going to tell me, sure, but it would take a lot more than that to make me hate you...and really just made me a lot more worried about how grim you think our chances really are. But forget all that. If we're in this together then it would be stupid to be stingy with the one resource we both know I have far too much of in the first place."

That made sense, right? I just told her that she should eat when she could. Absolutely nothing was odd about that statement.

What was actually wrong with that statement was that my mind was somehow convincing me that the words I was speaking were anywhere close to rational. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that I _wanted_ her to feed on me. My body might not have been showing it, but if she'd given me so much as a wink, a "come hither" glance, or a particularly suggestive cough, I'd have thrown myself across the room at her.

I suppose what she did instead would have to suffice.

"Hmm. Fine," she said simply before disappearing under the table, only to reappear with her head in my lap, her hands quickly pulling my breeches down.

"Ah," Lorelei began with a calm smile, "I should take care of these dishes."

Phina's mouth fell upon me with a ferocity that suggested she'd have been more than happy to consume my entire body. A drowning man sucking down his final breath of air would have seemed a lesson in proper table etiquette when set alongside this.

I should have just closed my eyes and let this be an act of necessity, perhaps imagining any one of my current romantic interests hiding beneath that large fancy hat. In what hindsight would certainly show to be a mistake, however, I pulled that hat from Phina's head and tossed it across the small room.

Removing her hat got her attention and her now glowing red eyes shot up to meet mine. Despite her yearning moan, I could clearly see tears in her eyes. Whether those tears were from joy, shame, sadness, or just the act of forcing her throat to accept a foreign invader, I found myself unable to look away.

I was the first to blink as I was finally overcome, my eyes staying closed as I found Phina's horns and gripped them, desperate to keep her from pulling away. In response she simply took a deep breath and then fell upon me, her arms wrapping around my lower back as she sucked me dry, not moving until she'd gotten every single agonizingly wonderful drop.

As I was coming to my senses, I heard Phina nearly squeal with delight.

Wiping her face with her sleeve, the expression that she now wore was one of utter contentment. "God, how can something that tastes so bad make me feel so good?! Forget whatever I said about not standing a chance against Durand's forces. If you can keep me full of your...uh...energy, we'll put that bitch in her place!"

Sitting there speechless with my mouth still hanging open, I could only manage a nod. Far too much of me hoped that it was an eager nod.

The exhaustion that before would have demanded that I lie down for a nap passed after a few moments, and with it nearly all of the anger that had been building toward Phina over the last several days.

"Are you decent, father?" I heard Lorelei call from the next room as Phina fluttered her way down a set of stairs nearby.

Quickly getting my pants back into place, I answered back, "You can come back in."

Gliding back into the room, Lorelei sent a slight frown in my direction as she scolded, "I asked if you were decent. You'll have to forgive me my wariness of your ever growing appetite."

I looked around in confusion. "Seriously. Did I do something to upset you?"

Lorelei's frown actually deepened before being politely hidden away. "I know that it was unintentional, and that when the way presents itself, you will not hesitate to take proper responsibility towards the correct resolution."

"I...really don't know what you're saying, Lorelei. I'm sorry if I-" I began.

Crossing her arms, Lorelei took on a look that bordered on anger. "Do not offer a worthless apology, father. It is quite rude. You are not the cause, but you otherwise have no idea what has upset me."

That much was true. I wonder when I'd been conditioned to just take the blame even when I had no idea for what I was actually assuming guilt.

I took a deep breath to clear my head and calmly asked, "Okay. What has upset you?"

Trying to keep her expression stern, she answered back, "Most of all, I am upset that you came to drag me back from that hellish pit in Kaori for no reason."

Didn't that mean she actually was upset with me? On instinct, I shot back, "I had a very good reason, Lorelei. You should know by now that I was determined to come get you because I...because...just wait a second. No, I was definitely…"

Why the fuck _had_ I gone to rescue her? I ripped through every single memory from this world and beyond and I couldn't even figure out how I'd learned where she even was to begin with.

As I began to frantically sift through my memories, desperate to find the missing piece that I _knew_ had to be there, I started getting frantic. Every single thread of remembrance, even followed back as carefully as possible, ran into some unexplainable frayed snag or entirely broken continuity.

With each passing second, I grew more furiously desperate to find the piece I knew I was now fully aware that I was missing.

Where did I learn necromancy? Risa wouldn't have just abandoned me for months while she went off in search of that powdered unicorn horn...and even if she had, how did I survive without food or water while she was gone? How did Zee just happen to stumble onto us down in the Prosperity mine? How did Meryl even end up in Durand's castle? How the fuck did we even release Ahmose?

That last thought set my mind to screaming with a rage I'd never experienced, my eyes running to every corner of the room searching for something they wouldn't find. My memory simply didn't work like this. With Miranda's spell, I ended up in a confused agony whenever I came too close to a sealed memory. In this case there was something that just wasn't there. The fact that we were even sitting in the same room together was completely impossible...unless I considered the painting again.

I'd never have been able to explain it to someone else, but having that sort of disruption in my memory was physically painful to me. And I did what most damaged people did when they couldn't quite wrap their minds around some sort of trauma. I found something to fill it.

Durand. She was the easiest thing to fit into all those excruciating blank spots.

In the scant handful of seconds it had taken me to run through that entire thought process, I hadn't noticed that Lorelei had moved to gently set her hands on my shoulders.

Lorelei spoke softly into my ear, "I do not know what you might be thinking father, but I can promise you that it is almost certainly wrong."

"We will find the answer. Somehow we will find what was lost," she added before gently setting her head on my shoulder. "And if you worry, as I do, that the answer does not exist, then we must find a way to create or recreate that answer, father."

I nodded as Lorelei's fingers began moving in a vaguely sensual way across my neck and shoulders, drawing my anger and tension away just as surely as my wakefulness.

Before I nodded off into peaceful slumber, I heard her say, "Now sleep. Tomorrow we can start preparing. Once everything is in place, we will set out for the home of the last Ashtails."

-  
-Elsewhere-

Shel was angry. She didn't often have good reason to cut up one of the "pretty" mamono like this witch. She didn't really want or need a reason to do something she enjoyed so much, but she was actually upset that this witch assumed that someone _other_ than Shel's skeletal self was in charge of this mercenary company.

And yet now her soldiers were afraid of some blithering idiot screaming at the front gate.

Twice Shel had decided to be generous enough to send someone to threaten off whoever had stumbled upon their fortress, and twice she'd heard the whispers of her subordinates as they argued over who would tell her that their uninvited guest wouldn't leave.

Was it too much for a girl to ask to simply be given a little free time to carve an eyeball or two out of a pitifully screaming prisoner?

"Commander," one of the girls finally said quietly just as the witch had really started to try to squirm away from the point of Shel's dagger.

"I thought I told you to get rid of her!" Shel angrily hissed back.

"It's a dragon, commander. A strong one."

"I know I pay you all enough to know how to handle these things without bothering me for every single detail. Have one of the sneaky or magical ones throw a collar on her and kill her. Go. Now," Shel said with finality.

As she turned back to still unfortunately un-bleeding witch, Shel noticed that her subordinate had yet to leave the room.

"Did you forget how to follow orders, reaver?"

"No, commander. It's just that she was already wearing a collar when she got here and-"

Shel turned and angry spat. "Fine, send the first and second squad! For the love of Charisse's festering fuck hole!"

Now nervously sweating, the reaver answered back. "The...uh...first squad is gone. After the first three of our girls were...dispatched, the rest fled into the desert. I couldn't find the sergeant of the second squad. A few of the girls claim to have seen her taking her squad out the rear gate for...practice maneuvers."

"This is what I get for conscripting caravan guards and Charisse ex-military trash," Shel mumbled aloud. "Fine. Since you have to make this difficult, just get everyone. I'll lead them personally."

Only a handful of minutes later, nearly an entire cohort had mustered in the massive indoor courtyard of the ancient fortress, all armed and ready for battle.

The fortress had been the reason Shel's Reavers had survived the civil war nearly unscathed, having held off a 7 month siege against usurper forces. During that entire time the great reinforced iron outer gates of the fortress had been breached only once.

It was with the previously heartening thought that no single mamono would be able to break down the great gate that Shel's Reavers turned to face the thunderous crash from the direction of the gate.

Many of those closest to the gate screamed in pain as jagged pieces of shattered iron cut into exposed skin like buckshot, the metal now also so cold that a chill mist rose into the air over the scattered shrapnel.

Reeling in shocked disbelief, the mass of mamono looked up to see a very large pair of mamono standing where the mighty gate had been only moments before.

Shel was not afraid, but as larger and larger handfuls of her supposed allies began creeping away, outside of her notice, she certainly should have been.

-  
-Moments Before-

"You know they're just going to try to kill you, right?" Keres asked the mysterious dragon.

Jumping in surprise as she turned to regard the chimaera, Ila loudly remarked, "By my breath! I didn't expect to find a bloodforged warborn in charge of this rabble!"

Keres shot the dragon a quizzical look "Warborn?"  
"We are rather mighty."  
"I think it sounds a bit like an insult."  
"Oh, this is going to be so much fun!"

Shaking her head a bit, Keres looked back to Ila and replied, "We are not in charge of these mercenaries. We've actually been planning to wipe them out."

Ila regarded the chimaera far differently than she had the other mamono she'd recently encountered, seeing at least some measure of dragon in the sorcerous beast. "Hmm. Have you not tried simply breaking down the gate, walking inside, and beating them all to death? Are they commanded by a more powerful dragon?"

Keres's eyes lit up at the suggestion. "Oh, we think we're going to like you!"  
"There might actually be a few of our allies in there."  
"There is no dragon within that we know of."  
"Their leader, Shel, is a very skilled undead warrior."

"Allies among the lesser mamono? How scandalous! Have the times truly changed so much?" Looking as though shaking off a chill, Ila then added, "Though even I will admit that undead can be trouble."

Ila was thoughtful a moment before she spoke again with a slight smile, "To be truly honest, I have no real business with these so called mercenaries. There is someone I must meet in Umbra. If you would be willing to accompany me to the city, I'm certain we could make short work of this 'fortress'."

Returning Ila's smile, Keres answered, "We would be delighted to."  
"We'd have to pick up someone first."  
"The poor flower would wilt without someone to care for him."  
"We don't have a way past the gate, though. We didn't think you'd attack so quickly and there's no way they're opening it again."

"The gate?" Ila asked before perking up in seeming understanding. "Ah, your dragon soul must be of flames. I will open the gate."

Assuming that she could convince the dragon to come with her to regroup and attack another day, perhaps under the cover of darkness, Keres balked at the suggestion that the dragon was planning to attack this instant. There were at least a hundred soldiers inside the fortress and almost no chance that the two of them, even working together, had any chance of overcoming the defenders.

Her calculated hesitation, however, turned to a predatory bloodlust as her leonine personality firmly asserted itself, drawing a wide smile from the chimaera. "Oh, this day just keeps getting better and better. I can't wait!"

"Wait. I need something extremely important first," Ila said suddenly. "Do you have a large, sturdy sack?"

"Uh...yeah," Keres said as she emptied some unneeded spare rations onto the ground and handed her bag to Ila. "Why is the sack important?"

Her smile growing ever wider, Ila began walking toward the gate. "If the commander is an undead, I'm betting I'll finally beat my old record. Oh, this is such a great game. I'll show you!"

Laying her heavy claw upon the thick metal gate, Ila drew in a great breath and held it within her powerful lungs a moment before unleashing a blast of ice that continued until long after the air surrounding them had taken on a deathly arctic chill.

Ila then looked at the large metal gate and gave a satisfied nod. Then with a deliberate slowness, Ila drew her large claw back and grunted with exertion as she stepped forward and slammed her clenched fist against the metal, shattering the gate into countless shards.

Keres blinked twice. The dragon may have been a few pies short of a pixie party, but even if she died now, without the gate, Keres could assault this place with guerilla tactics until every last one of Shel's Reavers was dead.

Licking her talons as she saw nearly triple the hundred soldiers she originally estimated, however, Keres stepped up next to Ila and shook with an excitement she hadn't felt since...well...since right before she'd betrayed her former captain, Azalea.

-  
-Elsewhere-

"You could well have a letter from Lord Ahmose herself and it would not change our situation, dear. I am ever so willing to be flexible, but you are in Amarante and I'll be forced to call the constable if you try to leave without paying your tab," the otherwise exceptionally polite bicorn said, putting her hoof down hard on the wooden floor to emphasize her point.

"But I don't have any gold! The fairy that sent me on this job said that I should write if I needed anything, but how was I supposed to know that a message could take weeks to get to her unless I spend more gold I don't have to send it?!" Narayani nearly shrieked in frustration.

"Look, I truly have no desire to upset you, but please try to understand my position. If it was just the food and room, I would be more than happy to let this all go on your promise of eventual repayment," Belle began with a sigh, having gone over this nearly a half-dozen times already. "But then you callously destroyed my favorite painting. The replacement cost isn't substantial but it was a gift from a very dear friend."

"Because that's the man I was looking for! I already passed him in the desert. I'd be done with this job and home now if he'd introduced himself properly!" Narayani complained, adding in a pleading voice, "Please, if I hurry he may still be near where I last saw him. It's only been a few days."

"Oh, you've met Joseph?" Belle suddenly asked with a smile.

Hoping this might be a chance out of her current predicament, Narayani nodded vigorously. "I did! Just a few days ago in the desert east of Umbra."

Belle sighed with something like longing. "Ah, it truly is a small world, is it not?"

"It really is," Narayani agreed.

Returning to the conversation with a more serious look, Belle looked back to the gandharva and stated, "If you are indeed delivering a package for a dear friend of mine, I suppose I will be a bit more generous."

"Truly?!" Narayani exclaimed.

"Indeed!" Belle replied with a smile. "If you put in honest work for me for two weeks, I'll say that you'll have worked off enough to leave the rest to credit."

"T-two weeks?! He'll be long gone or dead by then!"

"That is as far as my generosity can stretch. In that time I will also make certain that you have food and a bed until you leave. I'll also give you the time after sundown each day to yourself. You can use that time to rest, socialize with the kind townsfolk, or do whatever else you wish until dawn. Are those terms acceptable?" Belle finished her offer and extended a hand.

"I really don't have a choice, do I?" Narayani replied as she extended her clawed wingtip.

Gently shaking Narayani's wing, Belle answered, "No, my dear. You really don't. But since you've agreed, you can have the rest of today to yourself. Just be here ready to work at dawn tomorrow. If you prove yourself a reliable worker for a few days, I might also be interested to see you ravage my husband. You smell...truly wonderful."

As Belle finished the conversation with a friendly nod, a small group of mamono appeared to be moving tables around across the room. Narayani was still recovering from the shock of Belle's final words and was about to simply ignore the group until she saw that they appeared to be musicians and, far more interesting to her, carrying at least one completely unfamiliar instrument.

Her previous anger nearly forgotten, Narayani approached the group and spoke up. "Excuse me, are you playing a concert here?"

Hopping up on a nearby table, a large fairy-like girl giggled at her question. "Concert? It's nothing that grand! We're just playing for fun and maybe some tips. Belle agreed to let us set up here while we're passing through. We're actually working our way to Kioko for a festival coming up. Why? I see you've got that lutey looking thing with you. You want to play with us?"

Now slightly embarrassed, Narayani blushed as she answered, "I'm not from around here so I doubt I know any of your songs, but I'd love to hear you play. I've also never seen an instrument like that," she said, indicating an odd-shaped stringed instrument.

"Oh, this is a hammered dulcimer. I think it sounds really neat! How about this...I'll play you a song and then you play me a song, deal?" the oversized fairy offered with a smile.

As Narayani listen in utterly rapt fascination to the foreign music, she felt her heart stir, her skin prickle, and her breath catch in her throat. It had been years-decades since she'd felt this way from hearing music.

She couldn't understand it. The unique instrument had a pleasing sound but there was nothing overly complex about the song. It was just notes strung together in sequences Narayani had somehow never considered. Is this what music outside the desert was like?

As the song finished, the fairy looked up and jumped in shock. "Oh, I didn't think it was that bad! Or...good?" she added with a tiny smile.

Narayani realized that the experience had left tears streaming down her cheeks. "It was good, I think," she managed to choke out with a wavering smile as she tried to get herself under control.

"You don't have to play if you don't want to!" the fairy offered.

The statement finally bringing some composure back to Narayani, the gandharva shook her head. "No, I think I want to play. I...guess I just hope you like it."

Narayani pulled the sitar from where it had been hanging on her back and regarded the instrument that had been a gift from her teacher when she had first learned to play. It had remained at the core of her musical composition even as she learned nearly a dozen other instruments.

Even with as much as she loved the instrument, she realized that it had been nearly ten years since she had even touched the strings for anything more than maintenance. She took the extra time to make certain it was still tuned correctly as she finished drying the remains of her emotional outburst.

Then, with nothing more than a deep breath and a hint of trepidation, Narayani played.

"Whoa!" the leanan sidhe exclaimed in genuine excitement. "That was amazing! I've never even heard a song like that. Where did you learn that?"

Narayani blushed a bit at the compliment. "I wrote it...but that was nearly twenty years ago. I haven't come up with anything new in over a decade."

As Narayani was about to let herself get upset again, Belle walked over and placed a coin on the table.

"See, already getting tips!" the fairy said with a smile. "And if you're free tonight, you should definitely play with us."

"Teach me the tuning and chord progression you're using and I'm in," Narayani offered with a grin.

Belle smiled as the guests for the evening began to arrive. As bad as she'd felt about forcing the gandharva to stay until her debt was paid, the look of happiness on Narayani's face as she learned new music dispelled those worries.

The Honeybee Inn was situated right along one of the main routes to Kioko's realm, and with the upcoming festival drawing more than a few musicians, there would likely be any number of different musical styles on display in Belle's small inn over the next two weeks.

Narayani quite obviously loved music. Rather than cleaning or trying to work the bar during the busy evenings, Belle knew exactly what she'd have Narayani doing to repay her debt. Well, that and playing music, she mused to herself with a grin as she imagined the look of distress her beloved husband would likely have on his face as an unfamiliar harpy dragged him screaming into the depths of glorious depravity.

-

Over the next two days while Lorelei, Phina, and I prepared to set out, I ate and slept better than I had in recent memory. After continually supplementing her diet with a healthy dose of _me_ , I have no doubt that Phina agreed.

I knew exactly what would happen when I made the suggestion, but I don't know if I had fully considered just how wide it would throw the floodgates open on Phina's hunger. With how pleasant she'd become, however, I wasn't about to complain.

Phina's actions would occasionally earn a mild scowl from Lorelei when they interrupted breakfast, cleaning, dinner, sleeping, or literally any moment she wasn't doing something else more pressing...but there weren't any other problems.

Well. That wasn't _entirely_ true.

Without any sort of warning, Lorelei had taken to giving me a nightly massage. After the first night of relaxing bliss, I knew that she was touching me far deeper than her fingers could go unless she'd ripped off my skin.

It wasn't that the feeling wasn't pleasant. It was that by the third night it was becoming far too pleasant to be considered a "family" activity. Her touch made it feel like my energy was slowly being pulled from my toes to my shoulders, setting off every nerve along the way. I'd never experienced tantric massage, but from what I'd heard, Lorelei's technique made that entire concept sound amateur.

On the last evening before setting out, I decided that I'd definitely have to sit her down and have a very serious conversation about familial boundaries.

Just...after she hit...that one spot near my neck. Ah...right there. I could only sigh in relaxed contentment.

I'd _definitely_ get around to that conversation. Eventually.

-

I'd written off the possibility of the dragon Ila showing up at the gate, even after we ended up wasting an entire extra day waiting for her.

Imagine my surprise when I saw her sauntering up to me wearing a blackened war paint of dried blood, dark bruises, and countless scabs from superficial cuts. That was enough for a small gasp of surprise, but she also had two other individuals with her that I could see.

One of her entourage was a short, spindly man, looking like he had missed more than a few meals in the last few weeks or months. It looked like the last thing he wanted to be was walking through the desert, or in the desert, or walking at all in the first place.

I was far more interested in the large mishmash of mamono beside her that looked to have been slapped together from spare parts. I might have assumed that was the case if I hadn't seen that her tail looked to be an actual snake. Taken together with the rest of her features, my inner dungeon master classified her as the mamono variant of a chimaera.

Where in the hell did she pick up these two...and why?

Striding up to me with a large sack that she slammed into the ground every dozen steps or so, Ila looked down at me and spoke, "It seems you weren't lying about a few things, so I have decided to follow you to determine the truth of the rest. I must drop something off within the city, so you will wait here."

If she hadn't been a head and a half taller than me, I might have done more than angrily bite my lip and answer back, "Oh, is that what I'm going to do?"

Not even looking down at me as she passed, she replied, "It is, but it is wise of you to clarify. Acquaint yourself with my new ally, Keres, and her charge if you'd like."

Ila then violently swung the large sack at the ground before heading toward one of the guards at the gate. This time, when the sack hit the ground, I was certain I heard a pained moan from within it, the sound making me wince.

I didn't even have a chance to question the arrogant dragon before she was out of earshot.

Turning back around to the assumed pair of unfamiliar individuals, I unexpectedly saw Mira step out from behind the chimaera. Seeing her, I was a bit disturbed that I wasn't certain if I should feel relief or dread.

"So you just happened to meet them out in the desert?" I asked.

Mira shook her head and I was made aware of how ragged the witch truly was. Her shoulders sagged under the weight of her exhaustion and she had at least as many wounds on her as the two larger mamono, some of them looking far more worrisome.

Before she could answer, I corrected my tone and said, "Are you okay?"

"I will be," she answered simply and then added with a pointed look at me, "Those two saved me. I should have died. If they hadn't shown up when they did, it might have ended up even worse than me dying."

"Thank you," I mechanically offered to Keres, almost immediately understanding why Mira made her point in such a way. "I'll thank Ila whenever she gets back."

Mira offered a weak smile and said, "She isn't going to be easy to deal with, I know. But I've _never_ seen a warrior like her."

Keres took that opportunity to sit on the ground, gesturing over her shoulder. "The witch isn't kidding. We'd been scouting that place for weeks trying to find a way to bring them down and she just kicked in the door and went to work. We helped a little, but not long after what she did to their leader...and _with_ their leader, the ones that didn't surrender fled as fast as they were able."

I tried and likely failed to hide a scowl even hearing Keres speak. There was no chance that this was just another chimaera that coincidentally had the same name as the one that betrayed Zee and her Ashtail Legion sisters.

"So are you two staying here in Umbra?" I asked.

"They're coming with you," Mira answered.

Picking at some blood spots on her boots, Keres added without looking in my direction, "We know you don't like us."  
"Unfortunate."  
"We could have been wonderful friends."  
"Among many other things."

My hands inched toward my weapons. "I know Lorelei would back me up. Give me one reason I shouldn't be trying to kill this traitorous stain of a woman."

"It is a bit presumptuous of you to assume such a thing, father," Lorelei said, perhaps before noticing my expression. "But, however unfortunate, I must agree if that is to be the way of it."

"We can give you more than one reason."  
"We know you aren't a killer."  
"Dahlia made the same bargain with the same person."  
"We were also betrayed. It should have been Shel's Reavers and other usurper allies there...not the Legion."

"Joseph may not be a killer, but if his cause is important enough I can assure that I most certainly will be," Lorelei answered with a menacing step forward.

Mira sighed. "Give him the real reasons."

Her eyes focusing in on me, Keres seemed to lose her rambling personality and assume one that was far more determined and forceful.

"There are three real reasons," she began. "The first is that I know you're going after the remnants of the Legion and I need to give Sara back her husband, as untarnished by anyone but her as he was the day I took him. The second is that I intend to face the judgment of the Legion for my betrayal."

Seeing her hesitate, I urged, "And the third?"

"The third is that, despite whatever else I did, giving Azalea that alchemical concoction was the right choice."

"Oh really?" I asked, my voice seething venom. "How is that?"

"Because since I saw her drink it, I know she can't possibly be dead."

Of course there had to be a catch.

Mira added with an exhausted wave of her hand, "But the thing that's been keeping her alive is basically poison and will definitely kill her if she isn't treated soon. The unicorn Sara is skilled enough, but there was no way for her to gather enough demonic energy to do it without her husband."

Keres then said, "Mira here says the undead here managed to track down where the remaining Ashtails are hiding out. All I can do is hope that Sara and Azalea are there.

I had no reason to believe that Keres was being honest, but then why in the world would she have followed someone like Ila, especially after she heard from Mira about how much I likely hated her? I might not forgive Keres, regardless of her motives, but I had a bit more to consider.

Foremost among the things I couldn't help but consider was that Zee was almost certainly still alive. However dire the situation, dying was a fantastic upgrade from dead.

Not even Ila's return or the new wrinkle in my current plans could hold back the soaring flight my heart took at considering that thought.

"I thought you were in a hurry. Let's move!" Ila irritatingly said, the contents of her sack seeming to have been replaced with no small amount of gold.

I would have asked her where she'd gotten it if I wasn't half convinced that knowing might make me an accomplice. We had more important things to worry about and a new reason to move quickly.

 _If anyone is curious about the songs I had in mind for what Narayani listened to and heard, here they be:_

watch?v=i03u-dgu8dY watch?v=hTPxqUtlLdo


	8. Chapter 8 - Converging Revelations

Chapter 8 - Converging Revelations

-Elsewhere-

The focus needed to continue the infusion of mana into the great ritual was far more taxing than Durand had ever imagined it could be. Even having been a magical practitioner for many millennia, she had never had anywhere near as much concentrated arcane energy pouring through her.

The corpses of any inefficient emotions Durand may have once felt lay long buried, slain by her own hand. Much to her surprise and quickly growing chagrin, having a constant flow of energy from the nearly bottomless well of stored mana seemed to be coming with rare, intermittent, flashes of...something.

Long certain of the true purpose of the great ritual, Durand had no worry that something was amiss in the formula. Her concern turned instead to the nature of the energy itself. While as much as possible was gathered from the slow trickle of magic from natural wellsprings, after only a hundred years of gathering energy in that way, Durand knew it would never be enough.

That meant the vast majority of the gathered energy carried with it the intense emotions that would often have accompanied the moment of its release.

It had amused Durand to no end to watch her long string of captives as their bodies turned hatred to fear, fear to lust, and lust eventually into endless desperate love that would last until the subject breathed his last breath. It seemed that using so much of this energy had resulted in slight, momentary impressions of that emotional love.

While the impressions had increased slightly in frequency, Durand was convinced that the otherwise meaningless phenomenon would pass as the ritual approached completion and her goal was finally attained.

It was meaningless.

Nothing more than _agnosco veteris vestigia flammæ_.

It was only worth noting as a curiosity or something to be viewed as humorous. Pointless hilarity, even.

Her servants had thankfully kept their intrusions to a minimum, but one interruption during one of the rare swells of transfused emotion in particular had nearly broken her concentration.

All Durand had heard of the short exchange was something about a youko hiding somewhere within the castle. Likely the Panna girl, Durand assumed. In her rivalry with Medea, Durand had determined that the nature of the crystal prison made escape from within utterly impossible. If the fox escaped it on her own, Durand would have to make it a point to find out how. That fact certainly didn't make the matter pressing in the least, however, and a simple nod to her loyal Dullahan Penelope saw the reporting maid dragged from the room and very nearly killed.

Durand had far more important things to which she was already attending. Why was such a thing even being mentioned to her? No matter how daft, none of the Panna family had any reason to remain within the castle, and Durand had personally told Penelope to release them into the custody of anyone that arrived at the castle and asked for their release.

The only one she wanted to remain was Medea.

Having long, long ago studied under the same master, Durand was certain that the completion of the ritual that they had both sought would be the ultimate victory in their less-than-friendly rivalry.

Outside the now resealed central ritual chamber, Penelope spoke to the maid in a murderous tone. "That is the last time we will risk Durand's ire. Tell the rest of the staff that if there are any other matters that require attention, you will bring them to me. I don't know how she got out of that crystal, but unless the fox tries to go near this room or the vaults, ignore her."

Penelope couldn't quite understand why Durand would allow their prisoners to go free after their assault on the castle. The ritual was certainly important to her master, but Penelope still needed to worry about the security of the Violaceous Regard.

That and wounded pride.

Penelope had no intention of deliberately disobeying Durand, but in her long years of service, she had become quite good at following her master's instructions down to the letter rather than the spirit if the former seemed preferable. After suppressing any communication from outside the castle and the unlikely event that the man would return with anything less than a mind for war, Penelope was almost certain she'd get a chance to recover the pride lost at the hands of that damnable man.

Jolting her from her thoughts of revenge was a pale claw falling heavily upon her shoulder.

"What did she say?" the large woman asked of Penelope.

"You don't need to fret over it. As long as she doesn't disrupt the ritual or try to break into the vaults, she isn't a concern," Penelope answered.

Breathing a sigh of relief despite having no actual need to breathe, the less than living form of the dragon Antarylixi replied, "That's great news."

Before the dragon could potentially inquire further, Penelope continued, "I have heard some reports that the man Joseph and at least a few others intend to assault this castle. At any cost, we will make certain that they are unable to even attempt to disrupt Durand's ritual, understand?"

With a frown, Ixi nevertheless answered, "Yes, Marshal. If that is what Durand desires."

"She does indeed desire to complete the ritual, and that trumps all other concerns. Carry on," Penelope finished with a hint of a smile as the bound dragon turned and left.

Penelope doubted that the man, now attempting to gather an army, would think to simply request the release of his family. With the fox now running loose and possibly aware of Durand's orders, however, the Dullahan didn't want to risk that possibility after all that had happened.

She'd just have to make sure he never arrived back at the castle.

-

I wasn't having a lot of luck trying to fully digest all of the disparate pieces of information I'd been given in the last couple weeks, but there was a strange sort of balance to it all that was keeping my spirits up. However worrisome it was that I was missing large chunks of time and memories that were almost certainly important, I had also just been told that Zee was alive.

I wasn't even going to question the truth of the statement, however tempered it had been with the added information that she was dying. Keres had to be as good as her word on this at least. Otherwise...well, I didn't want to think about the otherwise.

Mira hadn't gone with us and I wouldn't have blamed her even if she'd originally been planning to. I gave her some coin to make sure she got some food and rest in Umbra.

"Mira," I began before releasing her hand as I passed her the coins. "You were there in the first place because of me, weren't you?"

When she didn't answer, my first instinct was to apologize profusely. Seeing the look in her eye, defiant despite her overwhelming exhaustion, I held her hand a bit more tightly.

"Thank you," I said with as genuine a look of appreciation as I could muster.

She looked a bit shocked that I didn't say what I think we both knew I'd been about to say. But she definitely looked pleased as she gave a tip of her hat and headed toward the city. On the plus side, it seemed she was at least too tired to try to force me into making good on the results of our game. I strongly doubted she'd forgotten about it, though.

We then set out quickly, finding that Lorelei's over-preparation assured that we still had more than enough supplies to get us where she was "reasonably certain" we needed to go. In leaving it, I couldn't say that I disliked the city of Umbra, but it was far different than what I was used to. I'm sure I'd have cause to visit again eventually. Hopefully at night.

"So can I just call you Ila?" I asked of the frighteningly large dragon woman that had decided to come with me.

"You may call me the Great and Mighty Ila, Winglord of the Skyrender Dragonflight, Chosen Champion and Blessed of Lord Akuma," she answered.

I should have just stayed silent, sure, but my entire life to this point had been just a series of comedic episodes showing the result of what happens when someone fails repeatedly to not do what they should.

I scoffed. "Oh, you wanted to use full titles? Fine. You can call me Joseph Panna ante Marston, Ryu Ruiner, Lord of Whores Recumbent, Nodded-at-and-Scolded-and-Blessed by Amarante, Grubstaker of a Googol of Genitals, and Dragonslayer."

I might have added more but I was starting to get a bad taste in my mouth thinking back on at least a few of my past exploits.

Ila didn't even look at me. "I'm not saying any of that."

"Then we're in agreement. You must have just fallen off the testicle truck if you think I'm going to use that whole mess of bullshit to address you," I countered.

"It's turnip truck," Phina corrected like a bitch.

I quickly continued, "Without me you'd have been a piece of furniture until the end of time, dragon. So we can just not speak."

Phina, still a bitch, added, "Actually, I'm the one that broke the enchantment."

"Eat a dick, Phina," I spat.

"Right now? It's a little early for lunch isn't it?"

I found that I had no appropriate response despite the nagging urge to say only, "proceed." Luckily I was able to stifle that craving for the moment.

Even though Ila still hadn't said a single word after several hours, I wasn't about to feel bad.

"You should apologize to her," Lorelei said in a whisper as the blistering sun was moving past its apex.

"Me apologize to HER?! For what? Freeing her from an eternal prison?" I shot back, my voice barely within the bounds of a whisper.

"Father," Lorelei answered back softly. "I spent several thousand years within the bowels of the Kaori wasteland as a soulless killer. After you rescued me, everyone and everything I knew from the time before the fall of Blacksky had long passed into distant memory."

I wasn't above being civil, but Ila certainly seemed to be doing her best to make it difficult.

Lorelei continued, "Ila has been gone from this world more than thrice that long. You should endeavor to be more understanding."

She was right, obviously. I came from a country that wasn't even two hundred fifty years old and even ignoring the industrial revolution and information age skewing things, the culture had changed so drastically in just the years that I'd been alive as to be nearly unrecognizable. Ila's situation was on an entirely different level.

With an inner sigh, I turned to Ila and said, "Just call me Joseph...or Joe, even. If you're coming with me to bring down Durand, there's no reason to be so formal."

Ila's eyes moved in my direction before looking forward again. "I understand that it must be difficult for a simple human to remember an entire title. You may refer to me as simply 'The Great and Mighty Ila' if it suits you."

"If it suits me?! You must be-" I began.

Finally turning my way and cutting me off, Ila continued, "I do not wish to start a seed feud with the Bloodhorn clan. I do not know your human customs, but a true dragon would take offense to us being any more familiar than that, Joseph."

Damn but that took the angry wind out of my sails with the quickness. Though something in her statement was confusing.

"A-ah. I see," I began as I scratched my head. "When you called me 'dragon slayer' I assumed you already knew that I'd killed the Bloodhorn, Ixi. Because of some necromancy she's been a bit more active than your average corpse but-"

At my words, Ila sent a look my way of...was it horror? Disgust? In any case she hesitated only another moment before taking to the air, vanishing into the deep sky within moments.

I looked to the rest of my group with a look of confusion. "What did I say?"

Keres was the one to answer. "How could you ever think that you were marked as a dragon slayer because you _killed_ a dragon?"

"What the-? Maybe the 'slayer' part of it? And she said it as she was dying," I answered.

Now frowning at me, Keres answered back, "And so...what? Every dragon, no matter how battered and broken at the moment of their death is supposed to tally the kill on the skin of their own assailant?"

Thinking on it, it did seem a little strange. Ixi said that some mamono and just about any dragon would see the mark and know what it meant. That orc Hilde had visible a few nearly identical scars herself.

Keres didn't wait for me to put the rest together. "Maybe a dragon slayer was something like what you're thinking long ago, and maybe a few mamono, if they recognize the mark at all, still think that's what it means, but if a dragon follows the ways of the old clans, it means that you took her heart. She claimed you. If another mamono recognized the mark, they would see you as her mate and not just as a piece of her treasure and would stay away unless they wanted to challenge her directly."

How was that even possible? I was protecting Risa, sure, but I had run a kitchen knife up into Ixi's chest just moments before she gave me that mark. She knew I wasn't strong or brave.

"Did either of you know?" I asked Phina and Lorelei.

"It's news to me," Phina answered, refusing to make eye contact.

"I did," Lorelei said. "I assumed you already knew, father. Winning the heart of a creature as arrogant as a dragon is no mean feat. I have only been told pieces of the story from your encounter with Antarylixi, but it is not surprising to me that you were able to capture her heart by your actions. I have, after all, experienced your dashing, if blind or misguided, bravery firsthand."

Keres then added, "And now Ila probably thinks you murdered that red dragon in her sleep after she swore herself to you. A human dragon slayer that killed a dragon? Having a title for that is like having a title for any human that has successfully swallowed the sun."

I finally shouted back. "I get it, okay? Can we fucking drop it?"

I didn't think there was any way I could have possibly felt worse about the scar on my face, but this world found a way. Bravissimo. If I had another chance to talk to Ila, I'd have to make sure she knew that killing Ixi was the last thing I wanted to do.

If Ila never returned, it wouldn't matter. All I could hope for was to have the chance to actually exchange more than a handful of words with her with the vast majority of them being her title.

-  
-Elsewhere, Some Time Later-

The man had said some implausible things already, but his claiming to have killed a dragon was completely unbelievable. Ila would have sooner believed that he had lain with a Lord or one of her advisors, however ridiculous _that_ thought already was.

Ila had to know the truth of it. She could sense the echoes of truly draconic levels of power from the wight that now followed the man. And whether the man was aware of it or not, the aura coming from the wight Lorelei was one of a woman perpetually only a breath away from slaughtering anything she perceived as a threat.

Such a creature must be truly frightening to the lesser mamono.

Flying hard to the east, Ila headed for the old Bloodhorn citadel. She knew that if any of the Bloodhorn had survived, their old citadel would also remain.

When Ila found nothing but echoes where the great keep had once stood, she tried the only other place she could imagine Bloodhorn dragons might still gather.

Deep within the mountains at the northern edge of what was now fully within Kaori's domain, there was a secret Bloodhorn hatchery. After the alliance between the clans had been cemented, Ila had spent a few weeks with the older hatchlings to scout for any that showed exceptional combat potential.

It would be at least a week or two before Ila would be able to catch back up with the man, Joseph, if she found him again at all, but that mark on his face was most definitely in the Bloodhorn style. If all the clans were truly gone, it wouldn't have been possible to learn such a thing.

Pushing through years of apparent overgrowth, Ila discovered the hidden cave entrance for which she had been searching.

Ila ignored the feelings of trepidation that tried to slow her steps as she made her way into the dark tunnel. The ancient reception hall within should have been filled with voices, but her sensitive ears picked up little more than her own quiet footsteps, measured breathing, and steady heartbeat.

Having accepted that even this place had been deserted, Ila nearly brought down the cave ceiling in shock when she heard a voice calling to her.

"Do not be afraid."

Releasing an angry puff of chilled air at the barest suggestion that she even understood the concept of fear, Ila stepped forward into the circular chamber.

Upon a featureless stone seat sat a dragon woman that looked so ancient that she appeared nearly mummified.

Whatever color they had been in her youth, her scales were now a lighter shade of the grey coloring the stringy hair that only barely still covered her head. The old woman seemed to regard Ila with her milky white, sightless eyes as she spoke softly, "You must have gone through many trials to find this place, to find answers...to find purpose."

Resting her powerful claws on her hips, Ila answered, "I just opened the door, old scale. But I do seek answers."

The ancient dragon woman chuckled softly, coughing as she did so. "Your voice is full of pride. I am glad to hear it. I have guided the clanless that sought me out for longer than I can remember. What answers do you seek, young one?"

Ila didn't hesitate with her question. "I do not care about clanless. Where are the rest of the true dragons? This was a Bloodhorn hatchery."

"True dragons you say?" the old said with mild amusement. "It's been an age since I've spoken with a young one like you. I can teach you the true pride that we have lost, but the old clans are long dead. Which dusty library did you stumble into that told you such fanciful tales of a hatchery?"

"If I sound a scholar to you, then your mind must have gone with your eyes," Ila proclaimed before loudly adding, "I am the Great and Mighty Ila, Winglord of the Skyrender Dragonflight, Chosen Champion of-"

Actually stumbling to her feet, the old dragon shouted louder than her form suggested was possible, "Be silent, whelp! I can guide you to the remaining clutches of Bloodhorn or Suneater that I know of, but the Skyrender clan is long dead. The Worm's betrayal saw the last of them stolen from the world and sealed in an unbreakable crystal where she will remain until the end of time. Now. Who are you really?"

If Ila hadn't been taught to respect her elders, she'd had struck the old woman down where she stood. Not because of what she said, but because that meant there was no way the man had been lying about the likely destruction of her clan. Ila's sudden sense of loss begged for a very violent outlet, and it begged loudly.

Ila turned to leave. "Do not strain yourself, old scale. A man told me he killed a Bloodhorn named Antarylixi. I thought she might have come from here and wanted to find the truth."

The old woman rapped her cane against the stone floor. "I know that with each passing year, there are fewer and fewer of us, but still that man must be a liar. Antarylixi sought me out for answers long ago. She was full of strength and pride as a dragon should be. Far more than any man could handle."

"He wears unshed dragon scales as armor and he has a Bloodhorn mark upon his face. I had hoped to find the Bloodhorn clan here to avoid a possible feud, but it seems I have all the answers I will find here," Ila said.

"There can be no feud if there is no unified clan." Barely able to remain on her feet, the older dragon then asked, "Are you truly who you claim?"

"What fool would ever willingly wear the glory of another?" Ila asked as she turned to leave.

"I believe that answers my question." The old woman struggled to remain standing, her breathing ragged as she called back in barely more than a whisper, "Then...the crystal?"

Halting as she turned back to the old woman, Ila answered, "Broken by Wormtongue's succubus apprentice and the man that claimed to have killed this Antarylixi. I believe I will have this man lead me to the serpent and this...Durand. I will then tear the both of them so thoroughly from this world that scholars will fear my continuing wrath to even record their names."

As Ila continued to move toward the exit, the old dragon called out, "Wait. I have something for you."

"I have no need of trinkets."

"Shut your trap, fool girl!" the old woman scolded as she stepped forward and handed a small object to Ila. "This orb holds a memory. I swore that I would place it within your hands before I let death take me. The artifact that was once here to view that memory is naught but dust now, but I'm certain that there are others. Your mother Dalatrix should have left at least one more of them behind for you or with someone she trusted outside the clan. Ah, but I will trouble you no longer."

Ila accepted the item with a simple nod and left the cave, sealing the entrance behind her.

As Ila took off like a shot toward the west and back toward the city of Umbra, the old woman sat back in her simple stone chair within the long-deserted hatchery.

"The Great and Mighty Ila, still as young and strong as the day she was sealed away…? If that is true, then perhaps Wormtongue actually kept her promise," she mumbled to herself with a smile. "Ah, but the Great and Mighty Ila already said she planned to kill Wormtongue. Oh well. It's not as if that snake doesn't deserve it."

The old draconic ghost cackled to herself for the first time in many thousand years as her form destabilized and then finally vanished for good.

-

After nearly a week of relative silence beyond meaningless small talk, I finally remarked as we stopped for the night, "I don't think she's coming back."

"If you wish to find her, I do not imagine it should be too difficult with her superb lack of subtlety," Lorelei said as she put herself behind me and began to rub my shoulders, just as she had taken to doing every evening.

To an outside observer, it would likely have appeared to be nothing more than a harmless massage. The reality was that the feelings wrought by those pale fingers were further from innocent than those born from Phina's repeated and unrelenting oral assaults.

Nonchalantly worming her way into my pants yet again, Phina added, "It's probably for the best. We could definitely use her, but you'd probably end up dragging yet another person into your harem."

Not resisting Phina's advances, I smirked. "Oh, I'm sure you wouldn't know anything about that."

"Not at all," she answered. "You aren't even anything special. I think you just have a knack for being _just_ alluring enough that mamono probably figure it would be too much trouble to go out and find a man they _really_ want."

The hiss of my sharp intake of breath replaced my response. Coupled with Phina clearly being too polite to talk with her mouth full, that meant our conversation was done.

As I sat, held silent by the grip of the amorous feelings that rushed over my entire body just as surely as I was held by the wight behind me and the succubus before me, I started to have my first true doubt on how emotionally detached these two women really were from what they were doing.

Lorelei's fingers worked deeply into the soft flesh of my shoulders before teasingly brushing up the sensitive skin of my neck. The most effective gag in the world wouldn't have been able to hold back the moan her simple touch drew out of me.

It couldn't have been more than ten seconds later that my entire body shook in release from Phina and Lorelei's unified ministrations. Phina sighed in soft contentment as she drank to her satisfaction, her tongue chasing across every inch of me in the unlikely event that she'd missed a drop.

On any other day, that would have been the end of it. Today, however, was a far different day.

"Ah!" Lorelei gasped. "I feel Phina's energy pouring through you. It feels...odd."

Lorelei shifted her arms and pulled me against the wondrous softness of her breasts with one arm while the other spoke promises of sweetest perdition across the sensitive skin of my neck and along my jawline.

Whispering into my ear, Lorelei then said, "And it seems there is a great deal more stress within you that begs for release, Joseph."

If I'd been sober of lust, I might have noticed that she called me by name instead of "father", or that she was long past drawing anything out of me that bore even a passing resemblance to stress.

Her eyes now blazing with crimson demonic hue, Phina looked at me with a look of disaccord. While at once looking pleased at the prospect of filling her belly with even more energy-laden cream, the hand she had unstealthily started rubbing herself with and the frighteningly conflicted glint in her eyes suggested she hadn't fully decided on which hungry orifice would be best suited to the task.

I at least had the presence of mind to know that I was not about to risk knocking up Phina again. Barely holding onto enough reason to keep that thought in mind, I grabbed Phina's horns began to pull her back down, delighting at the contented squeal she let out in response.

Lorelei continued to whisper to me as she ran her fingers across my arms to rest atop my own hands. "That is right, Joseph. Remember all of the spiteful things that have come out of that mouth." Her hands closed over mine as she continued, "Perhaps you would be pleased to know that this succubus does not wish to own you as others would."

"I can taste her essence upon your soul this very moment, father. She wants something different. She needs something different." Stopping for the briefest of moments as her grip tightened over mine, Lorelei added with a near shudder, "She wants to you to own her."

Looking down at Phina, I saw a look of horror in her eyes as she heard Lorelei speak.

I was struck dumb by the continuation and now escalation of the sensations that refused to release me. My eyes rolled back as I was able to realize that Phina could have easily pulled away from my weak grip...and that she hadn't stopped or even slowed in hungrily moving her lips and tongue across me as though it was what she'd been born to do.

Breathing a bit more heavily now, I looked down to Phina one more time and our eyes met. She still had the horrified look reflecting brightly in those reddish demonic orbs, but it appeared more like a look of shame at having her darkest unspoken desire being publically revealed. Her cheeks reddened even further and she looked away, still without making any attempt to pull herself free.

In that moment, the rest of my resolved was consumed in a depraved conflagration as I redoubled my grip on Phina's horns, holding as tightly as I could as I unleashed my lusts like a rutting beast. If Phina wanted to be treated like a piece of property, I wasn't going to disappoint.

Pulled off balance by having her horns grabbed so forcefully, Phina was forced to brace her arms on the ground beside me as I began to move her in earnest. Seeing no attempt to protest, I was was emboldened even further, my arms now pulling her down with enough force that her otherwise adorable nose began to impact with my pubic bone on each thrust.

The sounds that echoed through our camp were beyond lewd. Phina alternated between pained gasps and gurgling moans of surpassing delight as her throat tightly clutched me with every unrestrained thrust.

I could catch her gaze for only brief moments before her eyes would lose focus with a pleasure that I doubted any human woman could possibly feel from such violent treatment. The frantic moans that escaped between the thicks streams of saliva painted a graphic picture of a woman lost in bliss.

Finding myself becoming more aroused to be so completely in control, I started bringing my own hips up on each thrust, now feeling the barest hint of her teeth where they had begun touching the base of me. I couldn't hold out any longer at that realization.

I first opened my mouth in an attempt to warn Phina about what was coming but Lorelei quickly placed her left hand over it, her right hand going to the crown of Phina's head and grabbing a handful of her black and white hair.

"You do not ask your cutlery for permission before using it to carve a roast, Joseph," Lorelei whispered again, definitely loud enough for Phina to hear.

That was all I could take before explosive release hit like a runaway truck. I had loosened my grip to let Phina pull away enough to breathe, but Lorelei wasn't having it. Having effectively stopped my vocal warning, Lorelei now reached around me and used both hands to grab Phina's hair and hold her down by force.

As the first of many blinding white flashes burst across my vision with each powerful pulsing twitch, the substantial amount of hot seed was forced directly down Phina's throat. She made a weak choking gag as she resisted being held down for a moment and then her eyes crossed and her entire body shook in an impossible orgasm.

Before she started turning blue, I pulled Phina up enough to let her breathe and finish the task that she was still more than happy to complete, her throat working as she continued to swallow every drop I had on offer.

When it became obvious that I was too sensitive to continue and (likely more importantly) that there was nothing else to be sucked from me, Phina finally pulled away and rolled onto her back with a moaning cough.

Also seeming satisfied, Lorelei released me and stood with a smile. "My, what a terrible thing to do in front of your own daughter, father."

Before I could say anything in response, Lorelei gave a light laugh before moving to the edge of camp to take up the night watch. "One can only wonder if you will feel as much shame the next time, father."

"I...don't know if I can survive the two of you at the same time again," I said.

"Neither of you are mated to this man?" Keres suddenly asked, her presence having been completely forgotten.

Phina limply flailed an arm in response, saying nothing. I had to wonder if it was more rude to confirm Keres's statement or to deny it.

Having been so silent that I'd forgotten he was there completely, the other man in the group spoke up. "I never would have considered having more than one mate before, but after seeing that-"

That I was a selfish man was likely never in doubt, but even I was surprised at how quickly the rage jumped to my throat as I leapt to my feet and shouted that man into submission. This man was basically the key to saving Zee, and if he couldn't do that I had less than no use for him or his traitorous chimaera acting as a wet nurse.

I interrupted his statement without even an ounce of shame. "You find another mate before your pure-hearted wife can heal Azalea and I swear to God, I will leave your fucking ass in the desert."

"He isn't going to do that, Thomas," Phina happily called out from the ground in a daze, making me realize that I'd never actually cared enough to get his name.

"Fucking try me. This asshole has a wife waiting for him and he's looking for a better deal after watching some impromptu amateur porn," I angrily stated.

As much as I hated to consider my next point, my stream of thought just continued as I added, "I don't even like the bitch in the slightest, but if you also destroy the entire meaning of Keres keeping you pure all this time, I'll throw you to a pack of fucking imps once she's tired of you."

That earned me a look of shock from Keres before she looked away in embarrassment.

Clearly backpedaling, Thomas answered, "Whoa, I didn't mean-"

"I'm sorry." I sighed and waved him off before throwing myself back to the ground. "I shouldn't have snapped at you, but you _do_ know that I'm going to have to go through a literal army to try and reclaim something that's patiently waiting for you at home. You also understand that hearing that Azalea is dying was _good_ news, right?"

"I didn't mean anything by it, really. I was just a bit uncomfortable after seeing...you know...what you three were just doing and said the first thing that came to mind," he answered before adding with genuine concern, "You really have to go through an army to get your family back?"

Now sounding like she'd overdosed on a cocktail of alcohol, MDMA, and more alcohol, Phina chirped, "Except for the one that's been written out of reality completely! Probably not getting that one back."

I balked at the possibility my mind had been dancing around since talking to Ahmose. "Wait, what are you-"

"My what a terrible dream you must be having, father," I heard Lorelei angrily call out from behind me before a soft touch of her hand easily pushed me under into sleep.

If only I could have believed that it had just been a dream.

I couldn't decide which horrible possibility was more horrific. The thought that a family member had potentially been unmade and utterly forgotten was abhorrent enough that even considering it made me physically ill. Although it may have been even more horrible to imagine that reality had seen fit to slowly work Durand into the missing spots vacated by that other, unknown entity.

Even in a reality full of magic, the order of things had still seemed to fit into a logical (or at least believable) order of some kind or another. Within such a reality, it didn't seem possible that something as inconceivable as my arch enemy being jammed sideways into my dating history was the path of least resistance.

Unless, as was nearly always the case, there was something large and important that I was missing.

-

When I awakened, I was almost immediately overwhelmed with feelings of sadness as I considered my last thoughts before "falling" asleep.

"Ah! Good morning, father. You looked to have been having a horrible dream," Lorelei said from beside me, her eyes held to the ground by the gravity of obvious guilt.

Fuck it. It wasn't the first sucker punch I'd had to roll with and it damn sure wouldn't be the last.

"You're a really bad liar," I said.

"Told you," Phina added.

"Are you pleased with yourself? This is entirely your fault," Lorelei scolded Phina.

"You think I don't know that?" Phina scowled at the wight and shot back, "Did you know that it's also my fault it happened in the first place? Medea even told me what Durand would try to do and I wasn't strong enough to stop her."

That's what Phina had been trying to do in that ritual room? It wasn't like she let herself be a passive observer, I remembered.

Now Lorelei looked like she was visibly wrangling with how to feel about what Phina had just said. She wasn't exactly experienced at dealing with emotions, and what Phina said looked to have come as more than just a slight shock.

If Lorelei was so opposed to me knowing that I was missing someone important, then why did she even bring up my mission to bring her back from Kaori in the first place? Was she just worried over the possibility that Durand truly was the missing piece? I could relate to that, at least.

Her expression settling back to neutral, Lorelei calmly said, "I will not blame you. Things would have transpired the same way if you had not been there."

"I think I'd rather have you angry at me," Phina nervously replied.

"As far as this matter is concerned, I do not care what you would prefer. If you truly do feel responsible and wish to atone, then help me do whatever it may take to undo this atrocity," Lorelei said.

Phina retained her grim look as she replied, "Ahmose would have offered to help if she could have. If this is beyond a Lord's powers then there may not be anything we actually _can_ do but...I was already planning to do everything possible to fix whatever happened."

I got to my feet, feeling less like I'd been asleep and more like I'd been under anesthesia and shook out the cobwebs while stretching. Lorelei nodded and then silence became our companion as we set out for the day.

-

"I believe this is our destination," Lorelei said as she pointed to a well-hidden cave entrance flanked by broken stone pillars.

I certainly had to give Lorelei credit. The route we had taken must have been a bit longer given how many times we changed directions, but with the stops at oases, trading outposts, and the rare small city, we still had more than enough supplies even with Keres and her ward following us.

"This whole area looks completely deserted. You're saying they're just inside the cave?" I asked, doubtful.

"As I understand it, there is more than one entrance. This is the only one I was able to locate in my research. This was owned by another group long before the Ashtails took up residence," Lorelei said as she pulled out a sealed scroll and slid it into my bag.

"What's that?" I asked.

Lorelei answered, "It is for the leader of whatever remains of the Ashtail Legion from Lord Ahmose. I do not know the exact contents but I believe she seeks their assistance in protecting her realm."

Keres hadn't exactly been talkative over the last week, but had been almost completely silent for the last day. I was sure she'd have had something to say about the scroll.

"Wait, aren't you coming with us?" I asked.

Lorelei shook her head. "This gate would not admit me. I also have very pressing and dangerous business with a pair of potential allies to the north. Do not worry, father, I will await you in Teremir. Hopefully I will have found some more answers to our current predicament by then as well."

Finally stepping inside the much cooler cave, I saw only a raised stone circle and rough hewn walls with no other obvious exits.

"What the hell are we supposed to do here? I'm barely picking up any magic resonance," Phina asked as she paced around the cave.

"Sleep within the circle," Lorelei offered. "I believe there is some sort of oneiromantic enchantment in place. If it judges you worthy, the legend states, the door will open. If it judges you unworthy, we still have more than enough supplies to make it back to the nearest outpost."

"I will keep watch until you are able to pass through the door." Lorelei then smiled and gave me an affectionate hug. "Do be careful, father."

"Oh, you know me," I replied jokingly.

"That is why I requested that you be careful."

"Well I guess we all go to sleep here," Thomas offered to a trio of silent nods from me, Keres, and Phina.

Having just been trekking through the desert, it took a bit of time to actually wind down. Once I had finally relaxed, sleep fell upon me quickly.

-  
-Elsewhere-

"Damn it, Joe! Wake up or we're going to be late for school!"

It was every day with this girl! Why did she feel the need to come wake me up every day?

As I made to roll back over for a few more minutes of blessed sleep, I felt the bane of my existence in a pair of hands grabbing threateningly at my very ticklish ribs.

"I'm up!" I screamed as my eyes shot open.

Hovering over me I saw Risa with a decidedly wicked grin on her face. "Well _some_ thing is definitely up."

She paused for a moment, looking confused. "It feels like I'm supposed to smack you for having a morning erection. Is that weird?"

That wasn't weird at all. Actually, I'm pretty sure that was exactly what she was supposed to do. I wonder why she didn't do exactly that, possibly while screaming that I was a terrible pervert.

Feeling off was pretty normal for me in the morning so I didn't pay it any mind. This was just like any other day though, so I needed to get moving soon or I'd be late to school!


	9. Chapter 9 - Awake and Dreaming

Chapter 9 - Awake and Dreaming

God, but I hated school. Everything about it seemed to have been intentionally designed to make my life into agony. Really, assigning homework should have been considered a felony.

I took one look at myself in the mirror, noticing at least one impervious cowlick, and then dashed down the stairs in my uniform to meet Risa so we could walk to school.

Coming out the door, I saw Phina regarding us as she leaned against the gate, looking annoyed.

"It's about damn time. You might be the school darling because of the team, but the rest of us lowly mortals can actually get in trouble for being late," Phina said with a deepening scowl in my direction.

Moving past her at a brisk pace, I commented, "Well then move your ass. I didn't create this ludicrous social construct but I'm not going to bitch about it when it works in my favor. It's also probably better if I don't run into the ace from Murasaki Academy again, so I'm fine with hurrying."

Risa rubbed my shoulder with a free hand as she said a bit too considerately, "Aww, you worried about the tournament? Or is she just that scary?"

I scoffed. "Bitch needs something better to do. She's been hounding me since the moment she found out we'd be matched in the tournament and apparently her school doesn't give a shit if she ever actually shows up to class. We should all be so lucky."

Phina nodded as we continued to walk. "Well, she's a lot smarter than you are...and that's actually saying a lot. But that school has also been undefeated since its founding and they might be getting worried after you set the division record in the win over Gobelius Academy."

"If it weren't for your injury, even the rival schools were saying you might have been able to beat the legendary Lukav's record," Risa added as we passed into the school courtyard.

I sighed. "I was willing to play through the pain."

"And that's why I love you and why Phina's pretending not to," Risa said with a wide smile and a quick hug before dashing off with a scowling Phina to their class as I headed to my own.

As much as I hated school, I could still always manage to do enough to get by. More honestly, doing just enough to scrape by was by design. I could do just fine on the tests, but more than half of our grades were based on the menial drudgery our administration called "homework", and I simply wasn't going to do it. As a result, I had been extremely close to outright expulsion.

That all changed when one of the teachers thought I might be a good fit for our school's only remaining sports team.

Several shattered records, a case of trophies near the front door, and a pile of new prospective students later, and the administration had my curriculum altered. Funny that.

Major prestigious universities had even approached me with offers of scholarships and other benefits to try to get me to commit to joining their teams after graduation. The longer I held out and played them against each other, the more ridiculous the offers continued to get.

But then holding out was a good part of the reason this had all started, wasn't it? Who knew I had such a talent for competitive copulation? Technically the sport was "General Husbandry", but we weren't packing a thousand seats a night for anything that tame.

I was brutally snapped from my daydreaming by a tap on the window next to me. That would have been odd enough on its own, but this was also the third story of the school building.

Looking over, I saw the creepy pale bitch that had been making my life miserable for nearly a month. She'd somehow commandeered a utility bucket truck just to bring her up to the window next to me.

I could have handled smack talk or even outright vocal threats, but every time this woman showed up, she just stared at me in silence, occasionally making inscrutable gestures.

As tall as me with flawless pale skin, dark iridescent hair down to her ass, and a figure that a porn actress would mortgage her soul to attain, she was attractive enough to be a very dangerous "athletic" rival.

But it was those violet eyes that really worried me. Within seconds of seeing those eyes, I'd start wanting to lose myself in them. This time was no different, I realized, as she pressed her open hand on the glass and stared into me.

Even with her incessant taunting, I was still convinced our team would trounce hers once we actually got to the competition, and no amount of browbeating was going to be enough to get me to back out.

As her hand pressed upon the glass with increasing force, I heard the tiniest sound of a crack forming and then the shadows of the sun through the trees fell upon the window like pulsing black veins and she suddenly looked far more sinister.

I was about to call out for the teacher when I saw her elevated platform start to lower and some flashing lights from below that suggested the police had already been called.

For a moment I was sure I saw her smile before all emotion left her face. She then pointed at me and then at the ground before crossing her arms across her impressive chest as she was lowered away from my window.

I animatedly shrugged my shoulders and then gestured to my ears, mouthing that I couldn't hear her. As much as she tried to hide it, my reaction had added more than a little iciness to her stare.

It was only hours to the competition and I was long past done with this creepy chick's tactics. Of course...if she wanted to tip her hand early and show me what that body could do then…

...Damn it. Maybe I really was in trouble. What was it about the pale ones?

-  
-Elsewhere-

Keres and the witch had said enough about where Joseph would be heading to give Ila an idea of where she would be able to find him. Ila was certain she could handle Durand by herself, but it was impossible to say how many dragons the lich might have following her commands.

A dragon acting at the behest of an undead? Based on what she'd been told, there was at least one doing exactly that. The thought seemed preposterous, even amidst the rest of the insanity of the current age. However far clanless whelps might be from true dragons, enough of them would still cause a problem.

One or two of the more durable lesser mamono would at least serve as enough distraction to turn the tide. If Joseph wanted the certainty of his own army at his back, at least Ila could admit that it wasn't an unsound tactic.

Ila was, however, completely at a loss trying to understand why so many mamono had already sacrificed so much for the unremarkable human, Joseph. He wasn't possessed of surpassing martial talent, exceptional physical attributes, or even a pleasantly docile temperament.

Simple lust could have explained the attachment of the lesser mamono, but Antarylixi had to have been Bloodhorn-a true dragon. The mark Antarylixi placed on Joseph's face was not one of possession, but a much rarer one of attachment and commitment. Would a man so dedicated to rescuing his family, even at the risk of almost his almost certain death, truly have taken advantage of such a bond to murder the dragon?

However unlikely, Ila found the alternative even more troubling.

That meant that Ila would simply use these so called Ashtails to track down Joseph again and then determine if he was worth adding to her slowly recovering treasure horde. Only her Lord's last command was the one rather difficult wrinkle in that otherwise flawless plan.

Those concerns would have to wait for another day, Ila determined as she descended upon the first salamander she spotted from the sky.

Ashtail meant salamander, Ila was certain. This salamander probably knew the one she was looking for, Ila assumed, believing there was at least a fair chance that all salamanders knew each other. Ila did have to wonder if the salamander was aware of the many violet-clad mamono that were quickly closing in on her from nearly all sides with an obvious mind for murder.

That wouldn't do at all. Ila had questions to be answered and a dozen heavily armed soldiers wasn't about to change that.

Ila descended toward the road to join the fray.

-

We arrived at the large indoor arena just after sundown. There were likely to be at least a couple thousand spectators for the competition. The additional nervousness from being in front of so many people was not going to help me earn a victory.

I arrived a bit late, due entirely to some pregame warmups that Risa and Phina elected to help me with. The reality was that the two of them teased me so close to the edge that I could have gone off to a picture of a flower drawn in crayon.

"As weird as this all is, it's actually sort of fun, isn't it?" Risa asked with a smile. "Though I'm sure I'd be a lot happier if I was the challenger you had to beat."

"You'd have to go to their school for that," Phina said.

Risa frowned a bit. "Fine. I won't break character if you guys won't."

Something in her voice seemed...odd. Breaking character? What was she talking about?

I had little time and even less presence of mind to consider Risa's statement before it was time to go.

Stepping into the arena was at once exhilarating and terrifying. Thousands of voices called out at once, some in encouragement, but most in the competitive disdain born of an athletic rivalry. As familiar as this situation was supposed to have seemed to me, I'd never felt more out of my element.

Before reaching the large circular pedestal in the center of the arena, a voice from the center of the stage called out.

"The challenger approaches!" the voice grandly proclaimed, the wielder looking to be a ghostly pale woman dressed in a wildly garish, black and white-striped tuxedo that identified her as the referee.

"Let's have a nice clean match," I joked.

Tipping her large top hat slightly to one side, she shook her head. "You're very nearly in violation of the rules here. You should be taking this test alone."

"Test?" Risa asked from behind me. "I thought we were pretending this was some sort of competition."

"You see?" the odd referee answered back. "The test was to be undertaken alone and yet you've brought both of these women with you."

I wanted to ask what she meant by that when she turned away and crowed to the massive crowd, "Are you all prepared to see the show? This sad challenger will be facing our undefeated champion. With twelve regional titles and-"

That made me remember exactly what I was doing here in what I now knew to be some sort of very elaborate dream. Given the nature of the contest, I was also suddenly very worried about Thomas being put in a similar situation.

"Where is that other man, Thomas?" I called out. "Do whatever you want to me, but you have to let him pass without touching him," I added as I began to push toward the now obvious undead.

"I am Aphra and I will do no such thing! You have broken the rules of the gate and must offer a penalty. While I would adore experiencing your reaction to see him ravaged before your eyes, his dreams are so much less interesting than yours and my limits don't extend anywhere near his bestial tastes. For your treachery, I will keep the three of you here in my dreamscape until I have tired of you," she said, her voice swelling in places to sound more thoroughly overdramatic.

"It wasn't like I brought them with me into this test on purpose! I'm obviously not an oneiromancer and neither are either of them!" I shouted.

"Your souls have been tethered to one another and thus you cannot be fully separated in my dreamscape," Aphra stated, her arms now crossed in a show of further defiance.

Now fully aware again of who I truly was and what I was doing here, I looked back at Risa and Phina before turning back to Aphra. "Well...uh...I guess they've both carried my children, but how was I supposed to know that would tie us together? It's not like you had the rules printed outside!"

Aphra uncrossed and then recrossed her arms and began tapping her foot. "Ignorance of the laws is no defense! It has been centuries since I've even spoken to another soul. You will not ruin the only joy I am allowed in my eternal stewardship of this now pointless gate!"

"Joe," Phina cut in. "I have an idea."

"Ha!" Aphra loudly called out before boldly stating, "Without oneiromancy, you are as peasants cast weaponless into the midst of a battle between titans! What can any of you do?"

I'd been in nearly this exact situation before, but that time I'd had someone actually watching out for me. Try as I might to try and recall exactly what I'd called out...the only name that kept coming to mind was...definitely the wrong name.

Durand.

Spitting her name out like a curse, I realized that it wasn't going to do me a damn bit of good in this situation, so I took a more direct approach.

Without any other options, I moved to dash from the arena, nearly running straight into a wall of fire that appeared from nothing directly in front of me. I feinted and then changed direction as quickly as I could in an attempt to trick Aphra, only to find myself pulled from my feet by an invisible telekinetic force. A quick look around showed Phina and Risa in similar states.

"You see? And just to prove how powerless you are, I will force you to finish the role you have been graciously given!"

Aphra gestured and I found myself standing on the edge of the padded circular platform that dominated the center of the arena, which was obviously just a large sturdy bed upon closer inspection. I now saw my "rival" from Murasaki Academy advancing upon the stage with a look of predatory hunger.

Why was Durand in this dream world? Or had Aphra been able to scan my brain to find the worst possible opponent for me?

"For your violations, you will...compete against an opponent that will never tire. And when you finally concede, I will construct a new fantasy, and another, and another after that. Perhaps this will teach you the grand folly of violating an ancient pact such as mine!" Aphra proclaimed to wild cheers from the crowd of faceless thousands.

I struggled against the invisible force but was held fast. Failing that, I apologized to Aphra as I prayed to any god that would listen, but what else could I really do?

"Please! I meant no offense or slight. Cast us all out if you must but please don't do this! I can't stay here...ask me for anything else and I'll find a way to do it!" I begged. "I have a family that I need to save!"

Even while Aphra seemed to ignore me, I know I saw the slight flexing of her jaw as she considered my words. She simply wasn't reacting quickly enough, however, as I decided that I'd had more than enough.

"Okay bitch," I began before screaming in growing fury. "I know you hear me. If you won't accept my apology and you won't listen to reason, then listen to this-if you try to keep me from my family then you'd better kill me now, because I swear on the name of every single Lord that is, was, or will be that I will see you torn, screaming, into a puddle of ectoplasm or whatever stupid thing you're made of if it's the last fucking thing I do!"

With her look of superiority now turned back in my direction, Aphra smirked but made no move to release me from the magical binding. "That sounds like the grandest of productions. I approve!"

"Joseph, would you kindly remain quiet?" Durand suddenly said, her voice barely above a whisper and yet somehow carrying across the entire massive room and the roar of the crowd. "I cannot afford to waste my focus on you at this moment."

Whatever else had happened, Durand had stopped moving toward the middle of the ring and was now looking in my direction.

Aphra look briefly horrified before saying, "You are also tied to this man?! It is so deliciously inconceivable that a man could be soulbound to his own arch-nemesis! No matter. The tragedy of losing one's family elicits far more emotion than this odd comedy would. If she also refuses to follow my direction, I will simply claim you myself."

"I care little for whatever agony you visit upon this man. You shall have to pardon me if I allow my focus to wander, however. I am quite busy, you must understand. Doing two things at once can be quite tiring, after all," Durand said with a disinterested shrug.

"Phina?" I called back, knowing that she had used dispelling magic before.

"There's nothing I can do...I already tried the incantations but maybe because my actual body isn't saying them, the magic won't take shape-or break shape in this case," she replied with a sigh.

"How did you get out of that oneiromantic trap last time, Joe?" Risa asked.

I again tried in vain to shake myself free from the magic restraining me as I replied, "That was entirely different. There was a physical Nightmare in that church. I talk in my sleep and I called out for…"

"Oh. But there isn't anyone now...damn it," Risa finished the thought I'd left trailing.

Phina and I, however, realized that someone _was_ still watching. We shouted at the same time, "Lorelei!"

For the span of half a breath, my heart began to sink. However, less than a second after we said the name, the entire crowd went silent with a painful rasp as though they had been caught in a vacuum, all air stolen from them in a moment. Aphra then clutched at her throat and chest as she struggled to speak.

"So...beautiful and...contrived a story, I have...never seen. Curse you all for ruining...my only distraction...from this agony," Aphra choked out before the entire scene fell away to darkness.

I then saw only Phina, Risa, and Durand around me, each of them standing out amidst the blackness.

"So do we wake up now?" I asked.

"Yes, you detestable, no good cheater," Aphra replied, her voice clear again as it rolled through the blackness. "The only way to avoid destruction by that foul wight was to escape with you to the other side of the gate. Truly, none of you have any appreciation for good tragedy."

"Piss off," I spat in response. "I've had enough tragedy for three lifetimes."

"But not enough for a thousand and even pain is something to feel," Aphra whispered. "As a human you may never understand, but I'm certain your family and companions certainly will some day. Fine...go. I will return alone to my prison within this meaningless gate."

Phina straightened her hat a bit and asked, "What would you do if you were free?"

Aphra sighed. "I have forgotten every answer to that question I once held. I would see and touch and...feel."

"Is the mechanism for the gate on the inside?" Phina asked.

"Yes."

"Swear to offer me three great boons and I will undo that mechanism," Phina offered.

Three sounded like a lot. I'm actually pretty sure that ridiculous blessing that had been placed on me had been the result of a boon. Phina wasn't exactly being nice about-

"I swear it!" Aphra shouted in immediate response.

"I can't promise that I'll be able to get it now, so if I can't, I'll come back to release you eventually. I won't know for sure until I see the mechanism itself." Phina said, now sounding more like she was talking to herself than to anyone else.

"That reminds me," Risa suddenly said from behind me.

"Mmm?" I turned around to face her only to be taken completely off my feet by her diving embrace.

Between countless kisses and longing whimpers, she was able to say, "This isn't just a dream like all the others. You're still alive and you...remember me again?"

"I do, and nothing will ever make me forget again," I answered with a tightening hold and several kisses of my own.

Risa nuzzled her face into the crook of my shoulder. "The last thing I remember was letting her seal me and the girls in this magic crystal. After that, I've just been sort of living here in your dreams, I guess," she said with a worryingly inscrutable tone of voice.

"My dream are that bad?" I asked, definitely concerned about her response.

"Oh, they've had their moments," she said with a sigh, adding, "But even if I knew it wasn't real...I was with you."

"You know being that sweet is unfair," I offered with a blush.

"I can't keep you asleep on this side of the gate. You're waking up," Aphra suddenly said, her voice already becoming like distant echoes in stone hallways.

"I wish you could stay here, but…" Risa quickly took on a look of deadly seriousness. "Joe, I don't know how she knew I'd get the chance to tell you, but there's something you need to do. I don't even know if you still can, but you need to go to that place to get her back."

The look in her eyes told me she wasn't being intentionally vague, and I was no slouch on picking up on minor cues when I was paying attention, but I needed more than she was giving me. Was this about the person I'd lost?

I stumbled over my words as I felt Risa's body become light in my arms, her face becoming tenebrous.

"Who...where do I-?"

"The ritual...before it finishes," Risa said before giving me a final kiss and adding, "And whatever...you do, if you...Meryl...if...don't trust..."

Wait...Meryl? Was she telling me not to trust Meryl? Wasn't she trapped in a crystal just like Risa? Was it something I was supposed to tell Meryl?

Damn it.

Despite it always being a fruitless venture, I tried to stay asleep as cold consciousness inexorably reasserted itself over the warm fuzz of dream.

After that, I quickly awoke, now feeling rested and refreshed despite lying in a very obvious prison cell.

On one hand, it was definitely nice to know that reality was enough of a bitch to make it eminently clear I wasn't dreaming. That just meant I needed to figure out where I was and, perhaps less importantly, how I'd gotten there.

Seeing that I was also alone meant...well, I wasn't exactly sure what it meant. At least it seemed like I'd made it through the gate. It was probably far too much to hope that I'd see Zee, but any Ashtail would be a step in the right direction.

It was with that thought in my head that I got to my feet to at least make sure the cell door was locked this time, finding that it didn't move. I did, however, hear approaching voices.

Coming within earshot, I heard a soft voice chiding, "It wouldn't be right to keep her here forever, even if she is a criminal. And I won't let you starve her to death."

A second voice, powerful, commanding, and more than a little familiar replied, "I'm really not in the mood for another lecture on morality, Sara. A dozen Ashtails were wounded bringing her down and the only weapons she had were the chains and shackles that were binding her. No, she's got to be worth something to someone. Feed her from your own rations if you want but I'm not wasting anything else on a prisoner when we can't even feed ourselves. I won't say it again."

The first voice continued, "This is not right. There is no glory in preying on the weak!"

The second angrily called back, "You can't eat glory and you can't breed honor! The 'glory' we had left or died with our 'strongest'. And where are they? They're traitors, deserters, and martyrs. This new so-called Lord can waste in the sands for all I care. The spring here can't support us all for long and with Shel's Reavers gone, there's nothing in the desert that can stop us. We've picked up nearly a dozen men and even more-"

Whatever she was about to say was cut off with a pained yip followed by the sound of hooves on stone. Dashing past my cell a moment later was a centaur with a pure alabaster coat on her bottom half and a pearlescent horn protruding from her head. More correct than "centaur" was "unicorn."

"Thomas?!" she nearly shrieked, prancing in place before the cell next to mine for several seconds before dashing back the way she'd come.

A few very angry words and another yelp later and the woman I knew had to be Sara dashed back to the cell door with a set of keys, quickly unlocking the door and dashing inside to the likely still befuddled Thomas.

"Um...hey, princess," I heard Thomas offer bashfully before grunting painfully as powerful arms nearly crushed him in an unabashedly loving embrace.

"How did you...and I thought Keres...but you aren't tainted…!" Sara rambled, some of it sounding like a stream of endless questions with the rest sounding like overloud soliloquy.

As I heard their tender embrace starting to quickly turn into something I was far less inclined to want to hear, I moved toward the cell door to look down the hall and was immediately grabbed around the neck by a large red-scaled claw and roughly pulled into the bars before me.

The face I saw before me was familiar, but not to the extent I'd been hoping. Similar bone structure, eye shape, and unbelievably enticing lips immediately called Zee to mind. The look on her face, aside from what looked like a recent hoofprint, was one of palpable anger.

"So that traitor wasn't lying," the dark skinned salamander began. "I'm not being too rough am I?"

Her grip was tight enough that I couldn't breathe, and she damn well knew it. I tried to shift enough to open my airway and was thrown to the ground for my effort.

"This?" the woman called out to the darkness around us. "She left for this?"

Coughing as I rolled to my side, I reached for the shorter of my two weapons. It was better to be safe than sorry, especially if I'd just walked into some sort of family squabble. Or at least that's what I had planned to do before the cell quickly opened and I was pushed flat against the stone floor, immobile.

The woman gave a vaguely approving snort above me. "Not spineless at least. Good."

"I'm not your enemy." I said, adding with some struggle, "I'm just here looking for Azalea. What do you want?"

"What do I want?" she parroted back acerbically. "I want to see what makes a proud warrior throw away her own family, another of the greatest warriors I've ever known admit defeat, and a Lord bestow a gift meant only for the most noble-I want to see what makes you so special."

"I'm not special, I'm just-" I began before very painful kick pounded into my side.

"Are you calling my sister a weakling?" She shouted down at me.

I really wasn't sure how that question was at all relevant to the statement I'd made, but then I was dealing with a dose of fresh pain. One thing I of which I was certain was my ability to make bad decisions. So I went ahead and made one.

"Which sister would that be? I get around." I said, smirking through the pain. I expected another attack that didn't come.

"Keep that spirit because you'll need it," she began coldly. "You're going to solve two problems for me, or die in trying."

"Oh?" I asked as I was picked up and pushed toward another cell.

"Oh yes," she answered simply. "The first is ending Azalea's suicidal mission to help you."

I internally rejoiced at the knowledge that Zee was still alive. "What's the second?"

"Keeping too many people in these cells," she said as she lightly shoved me out of the cell and down the hall away from the heartfelt (and likely sloppy) reunion that was happening a cell away from me.

Driving home what she meant as we passed by another cell, a massive shape shouldered into the bars next to me, shaking the stone at my feet with the force of the impact.

Looking to my right, I saw the face of a woman I was sure had already died. And yet there were those pig-like ears and angry eyes that seemed to be perpetually trying to will the entire world to death.

"Not yet, orc," the salamander said as she tossed me into the cell across the hall and slammed the door behind me. "You'll face him tomorrow in the circle. If you win, we'll set you free."

"What makes you think I won't just kill all of you the moment I'm free?" the former Kaori general Hildegard asked, her eyes not yet even straying in my direction.

Fucking Hildegard...

The salamander actually chuckled at the question. "I thought orc traditions were similar to ours. Won't you follow anyone that bests you?"

"It took at least twelve of you to bring me down, and I had a broken arm and no weapons," Hilde taunted. "If you're so strong, come in here with that sword of yours and see how many times you can stick me with it before I tear your pitiful arms off and see if salamander meat is good eating."

"We were trying to take you alive," the salamander argued.

"You won't make that mistake again," Hilde growled back before finally looking directly at me. It took a moment before her eyes lit up in recognition. "You!"

The orc then slammed herself against the bars two more times, the second bash slightly bending the nearly impervious metal.

"Oh, you know this man too?" the salamander asked.

Hildegard stalked back and forth a moment with her gaze locked on me before sitting down, a cruel smile spreading like frost across a chilled window pane. "I get to kill him? You should have said that first. For that, I might even forget all about this place after I settle things with your older sisters."

Ignoring Hilde, the salamander looked down at me and said, "There you are. Beat her and I'll let you go."

I was aghast even at the suggestion. "You expect me to beat that monster?"

The salamander leaned in closely and smiled coldly. "If you were good enough to best Azalea, this should be nothing."

I sighed deeply. "What about the other people you're holding down here?"

"I think we'll let Thomas stay with his wife, so you must mean the traitor Keres, this orc, and that...strange succubus."

Long past despairing in the face of the impossible, I answered, "I won't defend what Keres did, but...sure."

I was sure I could find a use for the Chimera if given the opportunity. Despite what I'd heard, she'd at least been honorable enough to leave a defenseless man alone for as long as she had. It wasn't really like I could afford to be that picky as long as I could be sure she wouldn't try to stab me in the back.

It sounded like she was also offering me Hildegard in the unlikely event that I survived our fight. That...sounded a lot more dangerous. I decided to worry about her if it somehow became an issue.

I slumped forward, doing my best to look as pathetic as possible. I was also pretty sure I had that down to a science.

The salamander looked truly thoughtful a moment before answering. "Fine. I, Ixora, swear on my pride as an Ashtail and my position as leader of the Ashtail Raiders, to grant their freedom as well, if you triumph in the ring of stone."

Ixora. Okay, so Zee's youngest sister. And shit...did she say raiders? If these mamono really had turned to banditry, it would certainly explain the chilly reception as well as how they might have gotten their hands on Hildegard.

That was another problem I'd address later, if I was still alive enough to do so.

"You're cool if I use these weapons? I don't know how much good they'll do me, but they're important to me," I said.

"Use whatever the fuck you want!" Hilde shouted from the cell, her eyes still boring into me. "Those toothpicks didn't save you last time and you this time you won't have a legion-class necromancer or that...bodyguard."

Hilde said the last word with something very nearly approaching admiration. And while it might have appeared that she was still looking at me, her sight was somewhere else entirely. Somewhere in that bottomless middle distance, I imagined that she saw the piece of Zee's rage that sent Hilde hurtling through stone that was nearly as unyielding as the orc herself.

"If your opponent doesn't care, who am I to say no? At least we'll get to see some blood," Ixora said as she pushed me into the cell across from Hilde.

"We'll definitely see _some_ thing," I remarked before leaning back against the wall of my new cell.

So there was a good chance I'd be dead in a day, but then hope had a way of staying alive as the otherwise unremarkable Thomas cried out in joy, just a few cells down, as he was reunited with his wife. The next sunset I saw would be with the knowledge that there was now a way to keep Zee alive.

There was always a mountain between me and what I wanted. This mountain was muscle, rage, and vengeance. Just like every other mountain though, I was going to go over her. Hildegard probably wasn't even the only mountain that hated me.


	10. Chapter 10 - A Distant Flash of Light

Chapter 10 - A Distant Flash of Light

Only a good liar can know, with certainty, when they are being lied to. It consequently took a truly exceptional liar to realize without hesitation that the world itself was trying to pull the wool over her eyes. It may have helped that she'd been told it would happen, but she still found it unsettling.

So she knew. So what? There was only one thing she truly wanted and with his memory returned, she was doubtful that she still had a chance to get it. Even if she fought tooth and nail to win the man she wanted, it wasn't up to her on whether she'd get it-or if he'd even still feel the same about her.

Her freedom had already been earned by throwing her kitsune-bi companion-her best friend-under a speeding wagon by letting her take Meryl's place in that crystal.

How much more was she willing to sacrifice to get what she wanted? When the immediate answer was "anything", the worry then became whether she'd be more likely to get what she wanted by doing as she'd been instructed or by taking her own path.

Having both options open seemed preferable, but they both lead inexorably to her current difficulty.

It had taken the better part of nine months to insinuate her way into Durand's castle staff. It only took another two to find what she had been instructed to find.

Durand's phylactery.

The phylactery was in a privileged part of the castle under constant guard and behind a complex locked door. A magical alarm would trigger if the door was opened without a specific key, if the phylactery was moved from an enchanted pedestal, or if any of the guards failed to report in at very frequent, precise intervals.

Even if the stars aligned perfectly to allow her to overcome all of _those_ security measures, the owner of the phylactery, Durand, would also become immediately aware if it were touched.

Sixteen hour shifts made detailed planning very difficult and, as she'd learned herself on her first official payday, the wages paid by South Teremir were so extravagant that there was no chance she'd even be able to bribe any of the other workers to get her any closer to the phylactery.

Somehow, Meryl vowed as she ever-so-joyfully cleaned the midden again, she'd get her hands on that phylactery.

-

Sitting under the withering gaze of the murderous Hilde for a few hours was enough to get me doubting that I'd survive our clash.

When Ixora seemed to almost materialize in front of my cell, I'd have happily volunteered to be subjected to just about any level of aggressive interrogation to get me away from that hateful stare.

Unlocking the cell, she gave gestured for me to follow. Her expression was impossible for me to read as she said only, "This way."

The last look from Hilde was one of taunting expectation. "They're probably about to offer you a way out. You'd better take it, little man."

That damn orc had already killed me 1.5 times. She sounded pretty confident. If she was right then it'd be silly to refuse, right?

I was lead through a few straight hallways into a dark room illuminated by only a single candle. The sound of our footsteps threw enough distant echoes to make it clear that the room was far larger than I could see.

She was looking a great deal more troubled than before. "I'm not normally so...angry," she said as she gestured to a wooden chair near the candle.

"I feel like Zee would have mentioned it if you were," I answered with a shrug as I carefully sat myself down.

"Zee?" Ixora said with a look of momentary confusion before smiling now from across the table. "That's clever."

I turned my eyes to the weary sternness of the salamander's gaze and said, "So despite what the orc said, I doubt an Ashtail _raider_ is here to break me out of prison."

Ixora gave a barely audible grunt of displeasure. "We aren't raiders." She then added a bit more quietly, "at least not yet. We found general, excuse me, _former_ general Hildegard as she was killing the last of the guards that had been transporting her to some prison or another after their wagon overturned. And yes, we took the supplies. Better we be scavengers than bandits, but we are running out of options."

I wasn't about to blame them even if they had turned to banditry. Who was I to judge, anyway? It was shitty, sure...but it was clear that they were being motivated by hunger and not greed.

Silent a moment, I finally said, "I need to ask you for a favor."

"Do you truly intend to fight Hildegard?" she asked in response.

Grumbling through a ragged sigh, I answered, "It sure as hell isn't what I want to do, but if beating her is the only way I can get you to help me...I'll gladly spit in death's face again."

"You want Sara to heal Azalea. Is that correct?" She said after a moment of thought.

"Yes," I said simply.

"And if you had a choice between saving your own life by escaping this place or saving Azalea's life…?"

I chuckled dryly. "If I can guarantee Zee's life, I'm more than happy to take my chances with the orc. And even if there's almost no chance to save Zee...I'm here in the first place because I'm willing to bet my life on that glimmer of hope.

Ixora sighed heavily. "Sara's gossip is the reason this has become difficult. Everyone here already knows about this duel. So I'm left with giving you a chance to escape or throwing you into certain death."

"Wait...you're seriously about to offer me a way out of here?" I quietly offered in response.

Ixora held up a hand. "Sara has her husband back so she should be able to heal my sister after we've consolidated our power in a new fortress. It shouldn't take us more than a few months."

"That isn't going to cut it. She's dying," I protested immediately. "What about if I win the fight?"

"There is no way you can defeat a former Kaori general in a pit fight even with the advantage of being armed as you are. I know this, you know this, and I am certain Hildegard knows this." Ixora said plainly.

As she spoke, my fingers fell upon Tizona's hilt as if beckoned. It wasn't a habit of mine and the feeling I immediately experienced upon touching the weapon was one of outright defiance. It was as though the weapon itself wanted to leap from the sheath and loudly proclaim, "Oh yeah?"

"That remains to be seen." I quieted the unfamiliar thoughts and leveled my gaze back through the gloom at Ixora. "So, out of curiosity, what are you offering?"

Ixora clasped her scaled hands together politely and began, "We have heard that you have connections. The mark on your hand is enough evidence of that. We could use connections like those."

"What do you want? Gold? Supplies?" I asked.

She frowned and continued, "The only way we can survive is with a steady flow of both. You are in a position to provide information about...things being transported across the desert. These things could even be sent by you and...with the right transport agencies you could even insure yourself against losses."

For someone so opposed to the idea of raiding, Ixora was delivering her suggestion far too calmly. Either their situation was a lot more dire than I could imagine or something else entirely was going on.

"So in exchange for you getting me out of here, you want me to help you all officially become raiders? What about Phina? What are you planning to do with Keres and Hildegard?" I asked with a growing distaste in the conversation.

"We could claim the likely bounty on Hildegard or sell her to interested parties in Kaori, but in either case she'll probably be executed. Keres is a traitor. As far as the succubus..." Ixora looked away. "You are the only one we could safely-"

Done with this conversation, I cut in, "So do I just head back to my cell on my own or do you want to escort me?"

I had little trust for Keres and even less for Hildegard but imagining that my cowardice could be the reason that they'd be executed was more than I wanted to live with. Not to mention that I also wasn't going to leave Phina behind, especially not since we'd developed a...rapport.

"Joseph! Think about what you are doing. Are you really willing to die for a common succubus, that orc, and the woman that poisoned my sister?" She protested.

"If I have to wait however many months it'll take you to get this ridiculous operation of yours off the ground, you'd be the woman that killed your sister," I said angrily.

The deal she was offering was bullshit. Had they beaten that idea out of Phina? As far as I was concerned, it didn't matter. I was once again crossing a breaking point that I never knew I'd even reach.

"When Zee told me that she was _formerly_ of the Ashtail Legion, it sounded to me that she felt unworthy of it after what had happened. But this? This feels like your so-called legion wasn't worthy of her," I said coldly. Already on my feet, I turned back and shrugged. "I know I can't understand what you've all lost, but if I take this deal I know I'll lose the reason I came here in the first place." I frowned. "I know it's stupid, and I fucking hate knowing that other people I love will suffer if I die here, but I'm done with compromise. I'm done with sacrifice."

"But you could-"

"I'm fucking done!" I loudly interrupted again. "I'm sure fate will continue to enjoy tormenting me, but if it wants to actually _kill_ me then it can bring it the fuck on. Tomorrow I'm going to thrash that orc until she yields and then I'm walking out of here with Sara, Hildegard, Phina, and whoever else wants to come with me to find Azalea."

Ixora wore a look of disbelief. As she stumbled over what to say, I added as an afterthought, "Oh right. I've got a letter for your mother here. I'm going to head back to my cell to rest up for tomorrow so if you could deliver it, I'd appreciate it."

Placing the letter on the table, I walked from the room and back toward my cell, closing it behind me and checking my weapons before sitting down on the rickety cot upon which I'd be sleeping.

"You're that ready to die?" Hildegard was on her feet now, her stare full of at least as much incredulity as Ixora's. "You've either got a death wish or you've lost your mind."

"You should be thanking me. They were just going to execute you if I ran."

"Is that supposed to convince me to go easy on you?"

I laughed at that. "You know what? I want you to come at me with everything you've got. If you kill me-great, you can check that off your list of things to do."

Hilde snorted angrily. "You're talking like you aren't afraid."

I laid back on the cot and stared calmly up at the stone above me. "And you seem to care less than me about your own life."

When she didn't respond to that, I continued, "Even if I got out of here, I'm on a suicide mission. Hell, if you're so ready to die yourself, why not come die in far more interesting place?"

Hilde's response was a long deep laugh. "Let me tell you how this is going to go, you jellyfish. After I choke the life from you, I'm going to take those fancy blades of yours and cut my way through the rest of this broken clan. Then I'm going to find both of those salamander sisters and pay them what they're owed."

"Or-" I began.

"There is no 'or'! That's what's going to happen," she shouted at me.

I waited until she sat back down, hiding my smirk. "Master."

"You trying to beg?" she spat.

"No, I mean that's what you'll call me after I beat you," I teased. What did I really have to lose?

This time Hilde's laugh was cold and cruel. "You know I was even thinking about making it quick after you had the spine to come back here. Now I'm going to rip that spine out through your mouth after I'm done breaking every single other bone in your body."

"So then you're okay with 'master'?"

Even as she looked at me with a newfound respect, the greater measure of her stare spoke in such volumes of hateful profanity that my imagination was deafened by the fury.

I felt like getting her angry would work to my advantage, especially with the much longer reach I'd have in the duel with my blades. If she got her hands on me though...well at least a surplus of anger would see me more quickly through the pain of a death that just wouldn't stop chasing me.

It wasn't but a few moments later that I realized the futility of that plan when Hildegard quietly began to speak.

"Why?" she asked, her tone completely foreign, almost soft.

"Why what?" I asked, not sure what she meant.

"Why are you alive? Why aren't you afraid? Why didn't you have your salamander finish me off...or your legion-class necromancer?"

Her tone seemed to suggest she was talking to herself more than me.

"I don't like hurting people...or even the idea of them being hurt-especially because of me."

Hilde stood and began pacing. "No...I saw you die."

"Maybe I'm just the embodiment of some idea you refuse to accept," I called out, concerned not in the least about how pretentious I probably sounded.

This time she turned to look at me. "I am a general. When I've won a battle, it doesn't mean I personally killed every enemy. By all rights...that means you've beaten me twice-once with the necromancer and again with the salamander. A loyal follower is no different than a weapon...so why can't I forget everything else and listen to my instincts?"

"What do your instincts say?" I asked.

"To follow you-to obey."

The air between us was becoming extremely heavy. I doubted there was any way Hildegard planned to simply surrender in our duel, but I was suddenly being presented with the fact that she was far more than a mindless war machine.

I stood and locked eyes with her to respect the seriousness of whatever it was she planned to say.

"I don't why I'm even telling you this." Before I could say anything to that, she gestured to a jagged scar across her upper chest. "This was the mark left by my first love. She died less than a year after we had sworn ourselves to each other."

A sense of utter despair so utterly pervaded her words that I was stunned to silence.

Hildegard stopped pacing for a moment closed her eyes as she craned her neck upward as if to stare at the stars, however far beyond the cave ceiling they currently hid.

"A second lover...a third. I watched them all die, most as a direct result of orders I gave them." She paused, her body shaking as she took each breath to continue. "A decade after being named the Terror of the Black Plains, I remember finally staring up at Lord Kaori herself, my back broken as I choked on blood. This was someone that wouldn't die-someone that wouldn't leave me alone. I didn't hear the screams of my dying soldiers or the sounds of our fortress collapsing around us. All I heard was her decree 'Drag that pitiful, broken body to my citadel and I'll keep you as a general. Or die. It's all the same to me.' I fell for her in that moment."

That right there was true romance, right?

When she hesitated, I spoke up. "I'm no Lord Kaori."

She spat in response. "Neither is Lord Kaori. Where is she now? Dead? Missing? But you…"

"Whoa, you really shouldn't be trying to compare me to a Lord in the first place. I'm just a man...and a whore to boot," I protested.

She, I assumed impossibly, sighed wistfully. "And still you somehow _didn't die_."

"It still hurt. I can think of far better special talents I'd like to have."

"Part of me hopes I never have to learn to tolerate those stupid comments you try to pass off as humor."

"What are you saying?" I asked, now even more intrigued.

"I'm saying that I'm going to try to kill you tomorrow...painfully. But if, after our duel, you're still alive...or somehow rise from the grave, I will swear myself to you. Your enemies will become mine. Your cause will become mine until I breathe my last breath," she said with an almost reverent seriousness.

Even though she was saying exactly what I wanted to hear, the fact that she was saying it calmly and rationally meant that there was no way I'd be able to use her rage as an advantage.

High risk-high reward, I guess.

"I know exactly how I'll use you," I said with a smile to hide the shiver of fear I felt in that moment.

"Good. However impossible it will be, I want you to beat me," she said, adding with a chilling smile, "But I'd be just as happy to feel that satisfying pop of your neck breaking in my hands after you've screamed the last dregs of your voice into a hollow sky."

I couldn't even imagine a response to that.

In far too cheerful a voice, given what she'd just said, Hildegard said before lying down, "Sleep well!"

How did I keep getting myself into this shit?

-

"How was that?" Phina asked Ixora as she stepped from the shadows with Sara.

"He is not well in the head," Sara replied. "And neither are you for following him."

"I'm aware," Phina said dismissively. "But he still passed that little test, didn't he?"

"I'll make sure the rest of the clan knows about the terms for the fight," Sara happily offered before galloping from the room.

Stepping also from the shadows into the light of the single candle, a much older salamander smiled. "If his guts aren't strewn from one side of the canyon to the other by tomorrows end, certainly. Can you be trusted to deliver on your promise?"

Ixora looked at Phina. "I can't believe you're letting your man do this. This is insane. I should have him tied up and bred with every single mamono here, not trotted out into a glorified execution that'll be less dignified than a hanging and more painful than being burned alive," Ixora cursed.

"He is most certainly _not_ my man! He tastes good, he's my child's father, and I've been literally cursed to follow him. Not to mention that Azalea or Dahlia would give you a red-assed beating if you tried to tie him up here." Phina said with determined certainty before looking back to the older salamander. "If we don't die horribly tomorrow or later when we assault a Teremir guild protectorate, absolutely ma'am,"

"Wonderful." The elder salamander smiled. "Ixora, read Azalea's letter for me."

"I have other things to-" Ixora began.

"Mmm? Did you say something about giving me some grandchildren?"

Ixora looked horrified. "No, mother. I said...ah...let's go somewhere more comfortable first."

-  
-Elsewhere in the desert-  
-Through Ila's eyes-

Ila landed far enough from the dark-skinned salamander to allow for the opportunity for her to more calmly take in Ila's draconic majesty.

"Whoa there, stranger. You need me for something?" the salamander had the audacity to say.

Making an impatient huff, Ila then brushed a coating of quickly melting ice crystals from her claws but moved no closer. She then said with an irritated sigh, "I often forget the fear you lesser mamono must face when confronted with draconic excellence, but I have little patience for it today. You are a salamander and so I assume you must know of or belong to the so-called Ashtail Legion. I seek them and you will lead me to their refuge."

-  
-Through Azalea's Eyes-

Damn, this was a huge dragon. She wore one of the unbreakable enchanted collars that would keep her from shifting...but the _way_ she wore it, coupled with the way she carried herself, gave no assurances.

With a dozen Regard elite closing in quickly after a full day of pursuit, it seemed unlikely that the dragon was with them. She could still have been an overeager mercenary, trying to find and sell the location of the remaining Ashtails to South Teremir.

Azalea stammered slightly at the comically direct request. "Even if any of that was true and I actually _did_ know the place you're looking for, why would I lead you there?"

Ila placed her hands on her hips and answered, "Because I have asked it of you. Was that not clear?"

Azalea shook her head before responding, "And who are you, exactly?"

The dragon bore a look of relief to see that things appeared to be moving along as she was hoping. Based on the growth of her horns, she was far too old to be that arrogant without also wearing a lot of scars. That is unless...

"I am the Great and Mighty Ila, Winglord of the Skyrender Dragonflight, Chosen Champion and Blessed of Lord Akuma."

Blinking for a moment, Azalea finally answered, "And what does the Mighty Ila want with the-"

Interrupting the salamander, Ila spoke up, more forceful this time, "I am the _Great and Mighty_ Ila, Winglord of the Skyrender Dragonflight, Chosen Champion and Blessed of Lord Akuma. If you must address me, do it as such. I have no desire to frighten you further, so if you are at all capable, you will-"

The dragon stopped speaking and made a quick step to her right, narrowly avoiding a sling bullet that hit the sand with a dull thud between the two of them.

It was difficult to imagine a worse possible moment for Jess to have revealed herself, but the shot drew Azalea's eyes to the full circle of advancing mamono. They would be upon her and the dragon in too few moments.

Three of the Violaceous Regard's elite would have been a difficult fight on an open field of desert such the one upon which they currently stood. The dozen surrounding her, Azalea knew, were a death sentence before even considering the skills of the dragon.

"If you aren't with them," Azalea said as she gestured to the approaching South Teremir elites, "Then it's fair to say they'll be trying to kill us both."

"Just as a child can _try_ to touch a mountaintop as she gazes up at it from the ground," Ila countered as she did some light stretching. "You are only of any consequence because of your ability to lead me where I intend to go, and nothing will stop me from reaching my destination. If you and the rest of these lesser mamono have so completely lost your grip on sanity as to take up arms against a dragon, then I will accept the responsibility of reminding each and every one of you of the might that had even the Lords begging for parley."

"Wow, okay." Waving a claw in the air to signal Jess, Azalea stepped forward and unshouldered her large falchion and then pulled her spear from where it had been planted in the sand. "I don't know what rock you've been living under, but looking for the Ashtails is looking for a fight. And if you're looking for a fight, I'm your huckleberry. I am Azalea, formerly of the Ashtail Legion and I really hope you fight even a quarter as well as you boast."

The dragon Ila frowned and took a large drink of water from her waterskin. With the familiar gaze of someone that had never known defeat falling upon her, Azalea felt an unparalleled exhilaration at the thought of the onrushing conflict.

"I need you alive so do not worry over your life." Ila turned her body and extended a claw towards Azalea. "You face a true dragon, lizard. Nothing in this age can have prepared you this."

"You know…" Her tail already blazing to life in expectation of the coming conflict, Azalea laughed and took a loose stance. "The last dragon I beat said something just like that."


	11. Chapter 11-And The Thunder That Follows

Chapter 11 - And The Thunder That Follows

As to the cause of the feeling, I could have pointed a finger at any of a dozen horrible experiences both before and after I'd arrived in this world, but as I stared at the ceiling of my most recent prison cell I realized that I was far too calm in the midst of the current storm.

It likely would have been more fair to say that I had become crushingly jaded.

Even if I'd convinced myself and those around me that I wouldn't just lie down and die, it wasn't like I didn't still want to most of the time. If it wasn't this catastrophe, it would just be another. If it wasn't this fight to the death, I'd have a few dozen more lined up before I'd ever be allowed to just be happy.

How could I have guessed that those apathetic feelings would be completely obliterated in the next handful of moments?

"Joe! Wake the fuck up!" I heard Phina's voice destroy the, admittedly odd, dream I realized I'd been having about being chased by some kind of harpy and beaten to death with the painting that had so greatly elevated my level of infamy.

"God damn, Phina. What?" I grumpily answered, even more angry to be roused in the middle of the night from a dream than I normally was in the morning.

Far too excitedly, Phina replied as loud as a whisper could and still be called such, "I found a way to play back the recording in this orb!"

I was still angry at having been awakened. "I'm pretty sure I don't give a shit, but I know you're going to tell me anyway so...what orb?"

"The one I found in the place we released Ila. All it needs is a gentle infusion of energy and some finesse to trick it into thinking it's in the player and it'll start right up! I saw just the beginning of it and it's almost like being there!" Phina continued, her voice far _far_ too giddy.

"And this is...what-going to take my mind off of my quickly approaching death? Jack me off?" I began angrily. "Why the fuck are you waking me up for this?"

"Don't lie to me and tell me you aren't curious." Now frowning, Phina continued. "If you die tomorrow, I'm basically dead too. We might not have another chance to see this. Not to mention, you and I both know you've slept enough for two lifetimes."

Arguing was just going to drag this out even longer. "A decent night's sleep would help keep us alive, but I'm sure this will be _just_ as helpful. Fine. Let's just get this over with."

Why was she allowed the run of the place while I was stuck in a cell anyway?

Happily bouncing herself onto my cot, Phina pulled out the orb and closed her eyes as energy began to visibly flow down her arms and into the crystalline orb. My eyes were drawn to the center where a mass of darkness began to take shape, eventually consuming my vision as the world around us dissolved and another exploded into being.

We stood in a small chamber surrounded by dragons that all looked at least somewhat related, at least based on scale color, to Ila as a large woman held the orb above her head and began to speak as a long forgotten moment played out before us.

 _"My friends and blood sisters...we are out of time. We cannot know if Akuma has truly fallen, but we cannot allow the ritual to fall into the hands of our enemies. I do not trust the Worm any more than you...but I would rather give it to her than to let Charisse and her new Teremir allies touch it."_

The scene continued through a rousing speech. After the speech was finished, there was a disorienting break and the magical recording began again.

 _Dalatrix roared loudly enough to shake the stone as she burst into the ritual room where only Wormtongue and Ila remained._

 _"Has the enemy retreated yet, mother?" Ila asked, her voice not wavering in its conviction that such an outcome was the most likely or the only one possible._

 _Swallowing her anger and smiling even as she wiped blood from her eyes that continued to flow from a deep cut on her forehead, Dalatrix answered, "Not yet, my treasure. The clanless lizards still have the scales and training of dragons, if not the pride."_

 _Ila maintained her position within the ritual circle. "My clan sisters will have no trouble with them, of course."_

 _Turning away from her daughter and nodding, Dalatrix said, "Truly there is no blade, claw, or sorcery that will trouble any of your clan sisters now."_

 _Ila's jaw clenched as she fought to respond to what her mother had just suggested. "I would be of far more use out there. We should forget this ritual and-"_

 _"Be silent, Talon Captain." Dalatrix said to Ila before turning to Wormtongue. "You can guarantee that she will be safe? She will be released once this conflict has passed?"_

 _Medea nodded. "There is no sorceress on the field that could hope to break my spell. And I will honor my bargain, Dalatrix. I will personally see to her release soon after this war has passed."_

 _"Mother, I-" Ila tried to interject._

 _"Talon Captain, you will not disobey a direct order from your commanding dragon. Understood?" Dalatrix sternly called out._

 _Her posture straightening, Ila responded with conviction, "Yes, Dragonlord. What are your orders?"_

 _Dalatrix turned to face her daughter directly. "I am promoting you to Winglord so that I may apprise you of our current situation."_

 _The heavy door to the ritual room was just then blown off the hinges by a charging dragon wreathed in blood, flame, and anger. Without even a moment of hesitation, Dalatrix turned and caught the interloper by driving her talons into the enemy just below the sternum and then hurling her into the tide of enemies that sought to follow her in. She then roared and unleashed a blast of icy breath that clogged the door and hallway beyond with so much ice as to make it impassable._

 _Turning calmly back to her daughter, Dalatrix continued, "Except for the seven likely dead Skyrender scouts with whom we lost contact, you and I are all that remain of our clan. When you leave this place, you must carry on. You must rebuild our clan."_

 _Dalatrix nodded to Medea._

 _"No! Let_ me _face these clanless whelps! I'll crush their bones, rend their flesh, and tear off their scales. I'll-" Ila screamed as she tried to take a step from the ritual circle, only to find her feet now bound in a strange crystal._

 _Dalatrix didn't look away from her daughter as she continued. "Our clan must survive, so I command you to live, Winglord Ila."_

 _"Stop this and we can take our vengeance on them together!" Ila shouted as her struggling grew increasingly frantic._

 _The elder dragon remained silent as she looked on, her eyes desperate to see as much as she could of the greatest treasure she could imagine._

 _"I can't leave my sisters. I can't leave you," Ila protested as the crystal spread up her chest towards her neck. "Don't...leave me alone."_

 _"Is that what it sounds like, my treasure? That we're leaving you alone?" Dalatrix suddenly asked, her voice softer now. "No, I'll be just down the hall with your clan sisters, reminding these clanless exactly what it is they've forsaken."_

 _Ila growled to scare off the tears that tried to force their way free, the crystal now creeping toward her chin. "You should be the one to carry on the clan! I'll never be as strong as you."_

 _The ice at the entrance to the ritual room began to quickly melt._

 _Dalatrix reached out and touched Ila's cheek and gave her a smile full of the love only a mother can have for her daughter. "No, my treasure. Lord Akuma saw the truth I have always known when she chose you-you are far stronger than me. You always have been and always will be my Great and Mighty Ila."_

 _With that, Dalatrix placed a gentle lingering kiss upon Ila's forehead and turned back toward the hallway and the endless tide of enemies that awaited within and beyond it. Her mighty voice bellowed loudly enough to shake the foundations of the fortress itself. "Nothing but death awaits you here, curs! Bring your desperate flames and throw the last of your abandoned pride against the frozen scales of a true dragon! I will teach you all how much a blizzard fears a torch!"_

 _With that, Dalatrix charged from the room, shattering the remaining ice and leaving the orb sitting forgotten on a table._

As Phina let the magic fade and reality reassert itself, we looked at each other in silence, the stony look shared between us each daring the other to give in to the swell of emotion that had gripped us.

"Well...that was a hell of a thing," Phina said as she looked away, clearly to hide that she was bawling like an infant.

Wiping the totally not emotion-related evidence of the oppressive desert sand and impromptu allergy flare-up from my eyes and nose, I answered back. "Well now I _have_ to call her the Great and Mighty Ila."

"Me too," Phina quietly responded.

"I'm not going to lose tomorrow, Phina," I added after a moment of silence.

Whether she believed me or not didn't matter. I couldn't know if what she'd just seen affected her anything like it did me. I found myself caring about someone that wasn't me-that wasn't one of my family or few friends.

I didn't feel sorrow. Strike that. I didn't feel _just_ sorrow.

There are things that can't be changed, wounds that can't be salved, and things lost that can never be recovered. I might have thought before that nobody would truly understand that as acutely as me, but I was more like a child in the company of so many old or ancient mamono.

So many people wanted me for so many different things. Even my enemy Hilde had confided in me that she wanted to believe that I wasn't going to die on her, after she tried her hardest to kill me, of course.

I don't know how I had never fully realized it before, but my life was not just my own anymore. That ship had sailed the moment I nearly got Selvirin to kill me. The thought would have scared me out of my wits before, but it felt different now.

"Hey Phina," I said.

"Yeah?"

"Your life isn't just yours. You know that, right?"

She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand as she composed herself and then turned to me. "Are you okay?"

I frowned and repeated myself. "You know that, right?"

"Ah." Phina gave a half smile and leaned back against the wall of the cell. "I was sure you'd have figured it out long before now."

Huh?

"What do you mean 'figured it out'? Is this something that's obvious to everyone else?" I asked.

"It took Lorelei a little longer, sure, but Genevieve knew it the moment she saw me." Phina sighed deeply. "It really isn't fair. If that Blacksky rune had followed you instead of me, I never would have gotten myself into this."

What the fuck was she talking about? I was just trying to convince her that her child meant that she shouldn't be so careless with her own life. Wait...Blacksky rune? The one Genevieve engraved on me before-?

"I think it's time you tell me what Medea is holding over you," I said as my mind continued to turn.

"I don't take orders from you."

"Is that right?" I began, starting to get angry that I'd missed so many obvious things.

"Why are you suddenly so pissy about this?" she asked.

"Look...I was just trying to say that you have a daughter, so your life is more than just yours to sacrifice so easily."

The look on her face shifted from thoughtful to angry, through apologetic to sad, and finally settling on embarrassed. "God damn it. That's actually a really nice thing to have said. And I was doing so well."

So this was where the other me had vanished to. In hindsight it was ridiculously obvious if I put the clues together. That just made it that much more aggravating for so many other reasons.

"You're going to tell me what Medea has over you because it affects me."

"It really doesn't," she countered, immediately starting to look angry herself.

Knowing what I now knew, I'm sure she realized that she'd just given me enough to guess at the few things it could be.

"It can't be your daughter. There's no way Ahmose would let anything happen to her in Umbra. The only other thing she could possibly have would be-"

"Please. Please just stop."

There was only one other thing I could imagine she was trying to get out of Medea. "Tell me you aren't going to do the exact same thing I tried with Miranda to have your memories removed."

"God damn it!" she screamed. "Fine! You want to hear it?! You ruin literally everything! You know how badly I want to forget that no matter how well this goes, I'll still have lost two women I love because of you?"

"Two?"

She looked away as tears streamed down her face. "Risa and the person we can't remember. Lorelei's mother. I split off from you after we saved her. For me to have made that trip and endure the pain of dying multiple times means-"

"I know what it means," I interrupted, my tone somber. "And I understand exactly how you feel because I felt the exact same way about you when I begged Miranda to erase my memories."

Seeing Phina's hopeful expression forced me to continue. "But it didn't work. It won't work. Even without the memories, my heart still knew that something important was missing. If you were someone other than me, someone with a mind that worked differently, then maybe…"

"Medea basically stole my old body…" She stood up angrily. "And now you've even taken this hope from me."

I knew exactly how she felt. If I hadn't experienced the same feelings as Phina and the even darker hole in which I ended up later as a result of having buried my memories in the first place, I would have admitted that it seemed like a good idea.

There was a reason Phina had convinced herself she couldn't be part of the, admittedly odd, family I'd been building. I needed to change that.

"Stop," I said as I watched her expression becoming frenzied. "You know who you are. I know who you are. You think what you look like is going to matter to Risa? It didn't matter to Meryl that I was in the body of a woman. Look, I don't know how much we've diverged from each other, but whatever you look like on the outside...I mean, aren't the important things Risa fell in love with on the inside still there?"

"But she'll have _you_. Meryl didn't care that you were a woman because she didn't think she could have what she thought was the original. You were all she could get and that was close enough to make her happy."

I sighed heavily. "Look, I really don't know what home life is going to look like when we finish this. I've got at least one wife and at least two girlfriends, some number of which I intend to probably marry when this is over, and _we_ have a child that I want to get to know at some point too. Don't you think Circe is eventually going to want to meet her sisters? Not to mention that too many people know about our bizarre situation for you to keep her in the dark forever, let alone keep yourself in the dark."

She slumped back down on the cot next to me. "Just...shut up. This is why I want to hate you, and I really do wish I could. It makes me worry that-no, I don't even want to think about where Lord Elizabeth got the soul she gave me, because no matter how I try to rationalize it, I can't do it. My heart feels like it's going to break every time I even think about hating you-about cutting you out of my life."

"Then don't. Auri and Ari are as much your daughters as mine-more, really, because you were the one living with them after we split. I'm almost certain we can get Risa on board with this, but even if we couldn't, wouldn't your daughters be enough?"

Phina put her face into her hands. "And this is why I didn't want to talk to you about this. I've had that exact same thought but I wasn't sure I'd be able to handle it if even Risa rejected me. Plus the more I'm around you, the more I feel-I just don't want to have feelings for you. That'd be weird, right? It's weird."

"I think we both know that ship has also sailed. I'm honestly more worried about Lorelei on that front…" I mumbled.

"I know, right?" Phina smiled a bit at that before smacking herself and then me in the face. "Uh, I mean, ugh! She's our daughter, asshole!"

"She isn't related by blood," I answered. "And I know she's thinking about it. Helping your father get off in a woman's mouth isn't exactly a family activity, probably even less so when the woman is also sort of your father."

"Fine, whatever. We'll stare aghast at that horrifying bridge if we ever come to it. Me aside, if she wants it bad enough, it isn't like you'd really have the option to say no."

"So are _we_ okay?" I asked.

"Do you really want to try to make this work? Me, I mean...as a permanent part of this increasingly odd family?" she asked, the hopeful tone in her voice blatantly obvious.

"I do. And you don't have to pretend to like getting physical with me if you don't want to. We can stop that altogether or make it as businesslike as you want, to keep you full of energy," I offered.

"Maybe not tonight, but after tomorrow I'm...surprisingly okay with anything that doesn't have a chance of getting me pregnant again. For now. Aside from that, we'll just let whatever happens happen."

Why did I blush when she said that? And did she seriously just say "for now"? I really am a lost cause in any body.

"Well then, you can stay here if you want but if we're going to survive tomorrow, I should really get some sleep," I said with a slightly forced yawn. "Right now, though, there's just one thing I need to know."

"What's that?"

"Did you _seriously_ decide to go with the name Josephina?"

"Fuck you, 'Ari'. I think it's cute."

I shook my head with a smile and made myself comfortable, adjusting as Phina squeezed up next to me without a word.

Having her next to me with the knowledge that she was basically _me_ didn't feel anything like I expected it to or had before. It was difficult to explain, but there was a totally different feel about her than I'd ever experienced, and it was definitely more than just how she looked. I felt a familiarity that moved on a different level than the shared collection of experiences that had formed us. If it was Phina's new soul...then I was starting to wonder where Lord Elizabeth could have possibly gotten it.

I also realized that I had a lot of questions for Phina.

For starters, how did the Blacksky focusing rune affect her, being a mamono? How did she manage to get that new soul from Lord Elizabeth in the first place? How was my sexual technique when I was a woman? Anal sex can't get a woman pregnant so that was fine, right?

Important questions, all.

-

Azalea cursed as she considered her very limited options.

Surrounded as she was, there was no way she'd be able to take down a dozen of the impossibly well trained violet-clad warriors alone, despite Jess's support. Agreeing to the dragon's demand was a further lunacy, as protecting the location of the remaining Ashtails was part of the reason she and her team had been hitting South Teremir caravans in the first place. And even if she beat the dragon, she'd just be right back facing near certain death.

And yet...the incomparable thrill of staring across the battlefield at an opponent that positively radiated power filled her with a desire she never thought she would feel again before meeting the odd little human for whom she'd fallen. She truly wanted to face this _Great and Mighty_ Ila in a duel...she just didn't want to do it yet.

Staring across the sands at the dragon, Azalea saw no openings in her opponent's stance. She formulated a new plan that would have to carry them through the now. Later would happen later.

"Maybe I misspoke earlier," Azalea began calmly. "Even if these soldiers are of no concern to you, they are definitely going to kill me. I can't tell you where to find the Ashtail sanctuary if I'm dead."

Ila scoffed at Azalea's words. "Such pleading is a shallow tactic, don't you think?"

"Not as shallow as the grave these South Teremir soldiers will put me in if we don't take them out," Azalea countered, boldly adding, "This is the desert anyway-you think I could just tell you where to go? I'd need to lead you there."

That much Ila had to concede. None of the landmarks she knew beyond the ancient mountains even still existed and it could take years to explore the desert, especially to find a place that was supposed to be hidden.

Not having nearly as much time as she wanted to consider the situation, Ila sighed. "Swear on that which you hold most important that you will direct me true once I have-"

Azalea interrupted, "Not until I hear your reason, dragon. The Ashtails are my family and I'd let myself be killed long before putting them in danger from you or whoever else you could lead to them."

Ila looked like she was about to protest again when Zee quickly added, "But if your reasons won't put my family in danger, I will absolutely swear it."

The quickly closing soldiers began to sprint towards the scaled pair of women.

Ila took a step forward. "It seems we are at an impasse. Quiet your tongue and speak with that blade. Despite your fear, if _that_ can speak truly then I may deign to tell you of my reasons."

As much as she had wanted to honor the concept of reason and its place in an ordered and civil society, Azalea couldn't help but smile as her tail was stoked ever brighter by the dragon's insane tack. "So be it, dragon. To hell with everything else. Show me the skill that gave birth to that arrogance."

With that, Azalea leapt toward the dragon, her wild-seeming charge actually a measured probing of her opponent.

The first horizontal swipe of Azalea's falchion was lightly deflected upward with only the barest touch of the dragon's claws. If she hadn't stopped her forward movement, Ila's follow-up would have seen Azalea disarmed, on her back, or outright slain.

"Beautiful," Zee managed before the dragon's counterattack took the spear from her off hand and sent a truly threatening chill down her spine as she disengaged.

In a single exchange, Azalea was already certain that no dragon she had ever encountered had been so masterfully trained, let alone disciplined enough to wield a soft martial art style. Hell, most of them hadn't been trained to do much more than shift, roar, unleash their breath attack, and then die.

Within that one exchange, however, Azalea was made eminently aware that this dragon was at least as well trained as she was, not to mention stronger and possessed of far more potent natural gifts.

She had only ever once been so excited in battle, and this wasn't really a fair comparison.

-  
-Through Ila's eyes-

No opponent, after committing so fully, had ever avoided one of her counters. All Ila had managed was to deprive the salamander of her worthless spear.

Ila watched as the salamander's tail began to blaze even more brightly and hurled the spear away.

Swaying as she moved her arms in preparation for the next attack, Ila focused her breathing and let the energy of her magical breath flow through her body. There was little chance she would escape this salamander's next assault unscathed.

The salamander's style looked like a highly improvised interpretation of the style employed by the Sunwrath dragon clan. If it was true that the other clans had been killed off, at least the loss of the Sunwrath was a boon, Ila thought with an angry snort as she twisted herself free from a feeble attempt at a clinch and flung her arms forward to intercept the next attack from the spirited salamander.

To Ila, it was as if the damn salamander had eight arms and a dozen legs with how quickly and varied her attacks were from angles that shouldn't have even been possible. She wasn't moving fast enough to demand the sort of focus Ila was forced to devote to her defense.

Who were the Ashtails, she wondered, and who was this woman that fought like a true dragon to protect them?

-  
-Through Jess's eyes-

The violent dance between the two scaled women told a story of the ages to the enraptured harpy, with one warrior wielding arts long since lost and the other challenging with new techniques that had not even been conceived of in days of yore.

Having been well trained to observe potential combatants, Jess saw that the dragon's style turned every aspect of the fight into a weapon. Claws, scales, the enemy's weapons, and even the enemy's body and allies were tools to be used.

Even Azalea's spear that the dragon had "discarded" had neatly pinned one of the South Teremir attackers, painfully, to the ground.

Even in the few moments when she knew she had a clean shot at the dragon, Jess hesitated. If South Teremir had access to more warriors of Ila's caliber, there was no point to resisting them. Jess could tell from a distance what her captain had almost certainly already determined. Even ignoring that spear toss, it was obvious that there was no chance this dragon was fighting for Durand.

No...Jess would not get herself involved in this fight.

-  
-At Least an Hour Later-

Covered in sweat and breathing heavily, Ila and Azalea stared at each other, both of them covered in darkening bruises and countless other minor wounds.

In their exchange, Azalea and Ila had both been able to determine the strengths of the other. While Azalea's skill with weapons was beyond anything Ila had ever encountered, Ila's grappling and hand-to-hand skills were beyond the salamander's understanding.

Only two of the Violaceous Regard soldiers remained on their feet, having realized that their entire unit would have been outmatched handling even one of these impossible combatants. Deciding that it was too dangerous to try to recover their fallen comrades, they nodded to each other and retreated toward their nearest outpost to report this turn of events.

Ila and Azalea couldn't have been bothered at the moment to notice.

-  
-Several Hours Later-

"That's...the thing...about you lesser mamono. No stamina!" Ila gasped between increasingly difficult attempts to catch her breath.

Disarmed and barely still on her feet, Azalea replied, "I don't know...about you...but I'm not even tired. Beating you...isn't even...my whole day, dragon."

"Fall!" the bruised and bloody Ila cried out as she brought her massive fist across Azalea's jaw.

Taking the hit and unleashing two of her own, Azalea howled back, "You first!"

In reality both of them had spent considerable time on the ground. What had started as a test of skill and martial puissance had devolved into a shouting match punctuated with boneless arms, legs, and tails crashing weakly between combatants that had long become too exhausted to fight properly.

Ila and Azalea stumbled back from each other and fell in unison, their bodies covered in sweat and their chests heaving as their lungs begged the air to provide the sustenance that they had both found entirely lacking.

The pair of them then lied upon the sands, exhaustion having deprived each of them the satisfaction of a victory over the other. Strewn about them were the broken weapons and bodies of the Violaceous Regard soldiers that had been foolish enough to attempt to interfere in their battle.

Neither Ila or Azalea had spared a thought for the two soldiers that had fled the battle as their very personal conflict had raged on.

"You feeble lizard! Stop hiding and face your doom in my claws!" Ila shouted, her breath labored.

"You come to me this time," Zee countered, her arm seemingly no longer able to even to lift her long-discarded falchion. "All you can do is defend!"

Ila spent several moments gathering her breath before answering. "Even half of my perfected style is more than enough for you! I will attack when the situation calls for it!"

"That was half?" Azalea countered with a chuckle. "Then show me the other half. Right now even-I won't even attempt to defend myself. I swear it on...I don't know...my mother's favorite hat?"

"Whenever you're..." Ila began, her lungs not even able to supply enough air to finish her statement in one go, "Hah...ready to continue, just say the word."

Interrupting their moment, one of the wounded South Teremir soldiers groaned and called out, "You're both dead women. You don't make an enemy of South Teremir Mercantile and expect to-"

"Shut it!" "Silence, pawn!" Azalea and Ila called out at once.

After several further minutes of silence, broken only by the wind and the heavy breathing from both exhausted combatants, Azalea finally took a deep breath and said, "You know there are things you can only learn about a person by fighting them."

"True enough. Which means what?" Ila answered, too winded to muster any more words in that moment.

"After that fight, I feel like I can trust you. Are you going to tell me why you're looking for the Ashtails now?"

With only enough hesitation to catch her breath, Ila answered, "I'm looking for a...man. An impossible man that earned the respect of another true dragon, claims to have killed a true dragon, that inspires loyalty like I've never seen outside of my family, and that rages against an unassailable foe for the sake of something as temporary and fleeting as 'family'."

In one moment the maddeningly oppressive sun was blinding Ila. After a single blink, Azalea was suddenly blocking the sun and staring down at Ila from above, her weight resting heavily upon her falchion, but her body still standing regardless.

"And?" Azalea began, her voice taking on an edge of coldness. "What do you intend to do with this man?"

Not fazed in the slightest by the looming salamander, Ila answered, "I intend to see if he is worth anything, and add him to my hoard if he is. Perhaps I will also slaughter his enemies if the mood strikes me."

Stepping back and sheathing her falchion, Zee shook her head. "Sounds like quite a catch. I doubt a man like that would be easy to hold down."

"You mean you wouldn't just straddle him and bind his arms?" Ila asked, missing the point of the statement entirely.

"I'll have Jess take you where you need to go, dragon," Azalea said suddenly.

"Please, I would be honored if you called me Ila. I...have never met a lesser-rather...what I mean to say is that you fight with a ferocity that is a match for any dragon I have ever faced," Ila clumsily replied.

"Then know this, Ila," Azalea said as she kneeled next to the prone dragon. "I don't care if you fuck him like half the island already has, but Joseph is mine and you'll not add him to your hoard until you can best me. Got it?"

Ila was suddenly faced with the possibility that this salamander had more to offer than she had shown. Such arrogance from a lesser mamono would normally have demanded re-education, but the salamander had been as good as her word, so Ila decided to let it pass.

"How are you even standing right now?" Ila asked.

"An impossible man keeps dragging me to my feet," Azalea answered with a smile. "When you see him, tell him I'll be at the big festival in Kioko trying to pick up a few more allies."

Azalea then coughed and shook her head. "And if you want a rematch, you'd better hurry. I'm not sure how much time I've got left before my overdue death catches up to me."

Ila's brow furrowed as yet another impossibility surrounding this man presented itself. Wasn't it true that a salamander would only claim a man that had beaten them in combat?

"I will not claim him for my hoard until I soundly defeat you, Azalea, formerly of the Ashtails," Ila decreed.

Azalea smiled and waved to Jess, the harpy having stayed at a respectful distance during the fight. "Take her to the canyon then come find us in Kioko. I've got to see about meeting that Ryu and see if she...yeah."

"Okay Zales, you keep limping like that and I'll probably get there before you though." Jess teased.

Azalea smiled and absentmindedly patted the pouch where she had once kept her kiseru. "Somehow I doubt that, but I'll be seeing you soon either way."

Jess beat her wings and began to hover above the sands. "I suppose I'll keep watch until you're ready to go, dragon."

To Jess and Azalea's surprise, Ila then leapt to her feet and took to the air after the harpy, her face not showing even a hint of her earlier exhaustion. Either she was very quick to recover or she had a lot more fight in her than she had shown Azalea.

By the lords, Azalea really hoped she survived long enough to face Ila in battle again.

Once the pair of them had finally passed over the horizon, Azalea finally allowed the pain to catch up to her. Silently screaming in agony as she fell to the ground and clutched her chest, Azalea began to cough up a steady stream of blood, her body shaking as the pain overtook her as it had more and more often since her battle in Durand's castle.

Azalea was sure she didn't have much time left to do what she needed to do. Forcing herself to move through the pain, she took her first step north towards Kioko and what she hoped would help her love get back what he'd been fighting for. And maybe, she begged fate, be with him one last time.

-

Ixora wore a look of angered disbelief when she found me in my cell the next morning.

"You're still here," she said simply.

Already having gone through my stretches and a light warm up, I nodded. "Water is still wet, fire is still hot, and you're still a lot crankier than your sisters. Anything else you wanted to point out?"

She grumbled something under her breath and turned to Hildegard. "I'm going to take you to the circle now. Are you going to try to kill us all the moment I open this cell?"

Hilde smiled darkly. "And miss the chance to dance in that man's chest cavity after I eviscerate him? Never."

"Great," Ixora said as three armed guards came to assist in escorting Hilde to the place we'd be having it out. "I'll be back for you shortly."

"Oh, and make sure Hildegard's injuries are healed before we do this. I'm pretty sure I heard her mention something about a broken arm." I said as I did a few more stretches to pass the time.

"You-!" Ixora made to curse at me before angrily nodding in assent. "I'll have Sara see to it."

After they left I turned to Phina. "Okay, so do you think I can beat her?"

Phina shrugged. "You're in better shape than I ever was, you trained with Azalea, and they're letting you keep those weapons. So...probably still no."

If I hadn't noticed her smile I might have been a bit upset at that answer. "I don't know exactly what's going to happen when I draw these swords, honestly. If they work anything like they did when I first tried to use them, it could draw every single person here into some massive orgy."

"Well that might be fun, right?"

"Look...if something like that does happen, just make sure I don't touch the unicorn."

Phina nodded. "I think I can at least make sure that doesn't happen."

"Oh, and if I really do get killed here, I want you to run. To hell with any other bargain you've made or any loyalty you might have. Okay?" I said.

"I wasn't planning to die if you did, honestly. It's just that most of my reasons for living will die with you so...please. Just don't die. We already know she isn't as tough as Lorelei, and we beat her after only ten tries," She finished with a small smile.

When Ixora finally came back, it was with an even angrier look in her eye. She opened the cell and stared at me. "You know that all your bluster and honor will die with you. Is my sister really so important?"

I looked around at my surroundings for effect and then smiled back at her. "Isn't she?"

"And yet even if you win this fight, catch up to her with Sara, and remove the poison from her system, you'll still take her with you on your suicidal quest," Ixora stated.

"Well...I mean she doesn't have to go if she doesn't want to," I answered with a shrug.

"You know damn well she'd follow you anywhere! If you came back here with her and used your status within Ahmose, we could actually rebuild our clan. Even knowing that, you'd risk your life, her life, and the lives of her entire strike team on this...this folly!"

"I guess that about sums it up, yeah." I said, feeling a bit guilty. "But hey, you were pretty sure I was going to die in the pit today anyway. It's not like you have anything to worry about, right?"

Ixora was angry. The movement of her eyes and the look on her face howled frustration. She knew I had somehow bested Azalea and that I wore the scales of a red dragon as armor. She also knew that, regardless of the truth of the story, I had faced Hildegard in battle at least once before and I was still breathing.

What we had in common was that neither of us knew how this fight was going to play out. The best I could rely on was a hopeful suspicion about my weapons and the training that Azalea had forced into me.

"Let's get this done," I said as I began to walk forward, following Ixora as she turned with a sigh to lead me to the battle.

-

The improvised arena sat in the center of this small canyon and looked to have long ago been a small amphitheater that had been converted to a training ring. That meant that there were actual seats for spectators, all of which were filled with Ashtail women.

Once they might have been great warriors, but the nearly two hundred women that stared down upon me and Hildegard all wore looks of desperation. The vast majority of them looked very old, very young, or to be living with serious wounds. The canyon around us also revealed that this place was never meant to house so many people on any sort of permanent basis, the tents set up around the edges of the area being evidence enough of that.

Assuming I didn't die in the next small pile of moments, I resolved to find a way to help these women out one way or another.

Staring across the large training ring at Hildegard as she stretched and flexed her recently healed arm, I started to think of my next steps. Before Meryl had saved me from my last scheduled execution, I'd gotten so lost in the fear and desolation of my assured death that I stopped trying to plan how to survive. And survive was exactly what I intended to do.

As I considered Hildegard's likely opening move-a heedless charge in my direction-I heard Ixora's voice echo through the canyon.

"This man has chosen to defy the ruling of our clan and brings his grievance before us in a trial by combat," Ixora called out loudly. "We have likewise offered the right to a trial by combat to Hildegard of Black Plains to earn her release from our custody. Her reputation is well known among our war scholars."

There was some rumbling throughout the crowd that had gathered that began to escalate before Ixora called out angrily, "Some of you may be wondering how this man represents a fair trial by combat for a seasoned former Kaori general. I don't believe that he does, but he is the chosen mate of our sister Azalea and claims to have slain a dragon with his own hands. If there are no objections, we will proceed."

As if in response to Ixora's question, I saw a bruised and bloody Ila land next to her on the large raised platform with the harpy Jess.

"You've got to be shitting me," I exclaimed loudly.

A dozen armed Ashtails rushed to the platform as Jess quickly flitted over to Ixora and whispered something to her.

Loudly enough that everyone could hear, Ixora called out, "It appears this dragon has come here for this man, Joseph."

Hildegard began to look very _very_ angry. "What twisted fucking fate is this?! Yet again someone else steps up to be your weapon? I don't care who I have to crush first, I'm not letting anyone stop me from killing this man today!"

"I am indeed here to take this man." Ila actually looked a bit nervous as she raised her arms slightly and smiled. "I have no doubt I could do exactly that without difficulty. However…"

Ila's smile widened as she looked down directly at me. "...that is only if he proves himself to be a treasure worthy of claiming. I've also come to...respect this clan and so I won't interfere in this fight."

I wasn't sure whether to be disappointed or relieved at this turn of events, but I was at least knocked off balance enough by it that I couldn't hold back my laughter.

"Ha! You thought fate could possibly hate you as much as me, General?" I then spoke loudly in the direction of the raised platform. "After this is all over, I have a few things to say to you, Winglord."

While she didn't respond, I was certain I saw Ila nod in response.

"Remember what I told you, little man," Hilde called across the field as she cracked her knuckles in preparation.

The guards around Ila and Ixora backed off and then sheathed their weapons once it became clear that Ila wasn't an immediate threat. Several obvious gestures from Ixora to back off probably helped, though.

"If there are no more objections…?" Ixora said, letting the silence be her answer. "Then begin!"

With no more hesitation or reason to leave my blades idle in their sheathes, I grabbed each hilt and ripped the weapons free into the sunlight that streamed down upon us.

I was immediately and powerfully gripped by the sort of desire I normally felt looking at Risa, Zee, or Meryl. It was an undeniably sexual lust for battle that gripped me, and as I saw Hildegard standing before me, her faced seemed to pale somewhat before she began her charge toward me.

What had started as a dull rumble throughout the crowd had turned into an explosion of excitement the moment my blades kissed the desert air, drawing every able spectator to their feet at once in a roar.

The pleasant haze of arousal had made me forget entirely what it was I thought these weapons were supposed to do in the first place. All I knew in that moment was that I had many inches of hard weapon I needed to bury in my opponent. I was also holding two swords.

Her charge was exactly as reckless as I expected and I moved directly toward her in response, cutting to my left quicker than she could react and drawing my blade across her entire midsection in a slash that cut from her from hip to armpit as I passed her.

Turning to meet her expected response, I found it odd that I wasn't surprised that no blood spilled from the wound I'd just given Hildegard. All I could see was a bright red mark that looked as though she'd been hit with a whip.

Having already surveyed the simple arena, and knowing that Hildegard was a skilled opponent guided my next moves.

I made a deep lunge at her back before she could fully wheel about and, knowing she would expect something similar I looked to her right side for my next opening. Actually diving in that direction would have killed me so it was fortunate that I had planned on doing the opposite of what I had let my eyes reveal, running a pair of slashes up Hilde's back as I rose behind her. I then leapt back out of her reach and put some distance between us.

It was at that point that I would have otherwise been in trouble because, while I was definitely faster than her, she had a lot more stamina and trying to keep my distance from her without being able to position myself to land another telling blow was almost certainly going to lead to my being grabbed and then torn apart.

However, that was when things got...weird.

Rather than come toward me as we both knew she intended, Hilde took a step back to brace herself and threw her arms up as if to defend against an attack that clearly wasn't coming from me.

A moment later, Hilde was thrown backwards off her feet and onto her back in the dirt. Or at least that was how it might have appeared to the spectators. What I saw was that she winced as if struck by a massive blow and then leapt back under her own power.

Was she seeing something that wasn't there?

Taking the window of opportunity, I dashed in and scored two thrusts on her chest, both seeming to penetrate her flesh but leaving behind only a spreading red mark on her skin.

Hilde wore a look even more foreign upon her face than the smile I'd seen the night before. She wore a look of quickly growing sexual desire.

"No...no no _no_!" Hilde screamed as she got to her feet and charged at me once again, her eyes no longer even looking at my weapons, the ones in my hands anyway. Her breath came far heavier than it should have and her eyes were bloodshot.

My perception of battle didn't seem to have otherwise improved, but I was picking up a lot of other signals from Hildegard that I never would have expected. Without looking, I knew her palms were sweaty, her stomach was fluttering, and her vaginal muscles were tightening repeatedly in needful expectation. I could hear her elevated heartbeat and even _smell_ her arousal.

Beyond all that, I knew the fight was over...but our struggle was far from done. My own desires had spiked to a level comparable to when I'd been under Genevieve's influence. Whatever else these weapons did, it felt like they guaranteed I'd have to fuck anyone they touched in battle.

I don't know how I kept my desires in check as I called out to Hildegard. "Yield! Yield and I'll give you what your body is begging you to take."

Still charging at me, the orc only grunted in response, her eyes unfocused. In her slower approach, I managed to land two quick slashes before I threw myself out of her reach with a supreme expenditure of willpower.

"You...how? This...isn't fair." Hilde panted as her eyes started to looked truly desperate.

"Life seldom is," I countered. After a moment of inspiration, I then changed course on my earlier demand. "Yield or I will leave you trapped in this unfulfilled desire forever. I guarantee any one of the women here would be more than happy to take your place. Right here. Right now."

God, she needed to to just say yes. She needed to-

Hildegard fell to her hands and knees and looked up at me. Nothing in her eyes was even similar to the woman that had been trying to kill me only moments before.

"I yield," she began, her voice shaking. "If you tell me to crawl, I'll crawl. If you tell me to beg, I'll beg. If you force me to watch you ravage a thousand other women before me, or lick your boots, or-"

It could have a been a trick or a death trap, but I was too far gone with lust to care. I don't know if it was her demeanor or something else, but I felt far more dominant than normal. I couldn't shake the feeling that I was being controlled to some extent, but that was something I could worry about after I gave this orc a proper tending to.

"Strip," I said as I walked toward her, two of my blades sliding satisfied back into their intended sheaths with only one more to go.

Before I could blink twice, the orc was naked, still on her hands and knees. She continued to look up at me, her eyes pleading.

That there were hundreds of people watching us didn't even occur to me as I began to strip as well. The Ashtails were certainly in for a show.

With incomparable lust written so plainly on her face, I was sure Hilde would pounce on me the moment I had disrobed. Instead she remained on the ground, her entire body tensed like a coiled spring as she stared up at me.

The feeling of control was very unfamiliar, even more so since having come to this world. As a result it had me feeling more than a little self conscious.

I decided to test the waters a bit and try to probe the edges of how far Hilde would go. I gestured to my erection and said, "Crawl over here and show me what that mouth can do."

She wordlessly complied, her warm mouth enveloping me in seconds. Taking in as much as she was able before withdrawing again to begin a slow stroking motion, her tongue swirled and danced around me.

"That's...good," I groaned as she hummed happily in response to my words of praise.

I ran my fingers through her rough and untended hair, nevertheless enjoying what I felt under my touch.

With her mouth and hands working in tandem, I knew I wouldn't last long if she kept up this pace. I could already feel myself tightening in preparation for a release.

"Stop," I commanded her, watching as she immediately fell back to sit on her heels, her eyes almost smiling now as they waited for my next request.

It was at that point that I felt a very unfamiliar rush. Would she seriously do anything I asked? How far could I take it? How far would I?

Feeling compelled by the sensation of control, I looked down at her body. Despite the many scars, her body was still attractively built, well muscled, and positively thrumming with desire. An embarrassed flush began to darken her skin as she quietly sat under my scrutiny.

I was being quickly overwhelmed by the feelings of control as they compounded my feelings of lust. There was just one thing I suddenly had the unbidden desire to ask.

"Who do you belong to?" I found myself asking, my skin reddening slightly in embarrassment. It almost felt like someone else was saying those words with my mouth.

Hilde, however, didn't hesitate even a full heartbeat with her response. "I am yours as I promised, as long as you live. Command me and I will answer."

Emboldened by her words, I answered. "Turn around and get back on your hands and knees."

With her ass toward me now, I could see her sex glistening in blatant arousal as the muscles twitched in expectation. Rather than dive right in, I moved around her slightly and pushed her head down until it was against the ground, leaving her ass in the air.

Moving around behind her and kneeling, I smiled as I saw her adorable tail curled into a tiny spiral. I grabbed her tail and smacked her ass, the sound echoing across the entire canyon as she gasped loudly in response.

As much as I knew my actions didn't feel like me, they also couldn't help but feel correct.

I then roughly used her tail like a handle to move her exactly where I wanted her and then pushed forward, my cock sliding deeply into her tight, well-lubricated passage. Hilde's resulting moan came out more like a scream as her body shook and her back arched.

Placing a commanding hand on her back, I pushed her face back down into the dirt. "You'll keep your face in the dirt until I'm finished with you." I said as my hand came down with another slap to her ass.

"Yes, master," she said with a moan as though even saying the word was pleasurable to her.

Having said enough, I withdrew slowly only to find myself quickly being overcome by the stimulation that had been too long denied. Grabbing Hilde's tail forcefully with one hand and her hip with my other, I made one more probing thrust before starting to pound her like a jackhammer. With my grip on her giving me extra leverage, the intensity of our copulation sent the loud sounds of clapping flesh across the entire canyon as her depths quiveringly welcomed my violent and repeated intrusions.

With how close I was, there was no way I'd be able to get her off before me. On one hand, I wasn't sure that would bother her, but on the other...I had another thought occur to me.

"Will you do anything I ask?" I said between the loud slaps of my hips hitting her ass.

"Y-yes, master!" she replied immediately.

"Then cum for me," I demanded.

Hilde must have been a hell of a soldier being able to take orders so well, because the very moment I made my request, I felt her walls clamp down and shudder around me, the extra stimulation all I needed to hammer in as deep as I could to release my sticky essence into her desperately wanting depths.

I held her tail and hip to keep her tightly against me as one shot after another jetted into her, each pulse earning a moan of supreme satisfaction from the submissive orc. Before my inhuman release had finished, I felt Hilde shake again in orgasm, overcome by the feeling of being so filled with seed.

"Thank you master," she said sweetly, her face still in the dirt as I withdrew entirely from her.

Without prompting, she then turned and began the agonizingly pleasant task of cleaning me, her mouth all too happy to consume every shred of the evidence of our coupling.

"Uh...you can stand up and get dressed," I said to Hilde, suddenly far more aware of just how many people had been watching and far less willing or able to be as dominant as I just had been. Whatever fog had fallen over me had passed almost completely.

Getting dressed myself, I saw that my weapons were glowing brightly enough for the light to spill from their sheaths and continued to do so for several minutes after I had belted them back on. Had they been the cause of the strange mood that had overtaken me, and Hilde's submissiveness?

"Is there anything else you need, master?" Hilde then asked, her demeanor still very submissive, looking at me with eyes of impossible devotion.

Well, that could have gone a lot worse, right?


	12. Chapter 12 - Uninsomnia

Chapter 12 - Uninsomnia

Should I have been worried about how differently I was acting while I held those swords? Perhaps. Or the fact that many of those feelings remained long after they had been sheathed? Almost certainly. What about the slowly growing desire to draw them again as soon as possible, for any reason or no reason at all? Most definitely.

The moment, and I do stress "moment", of rational calm that asserted itself after my duel and resulting erotic exercise was quickly losing its grip on me. If I'd been looking on from the outside, it probably would have looked like I'd lapsed back into the me that had taken the field against Hilde just moments ago.

I'm actually pretty sure it was the tangible gaze of so many aroused women skewering me like so much delicious kebab for the devouring.

Whether from having seen the battle or likely _smelling_ what followed, the Ashtails in attendance were still cheering as I approached Ixora.

Wiping the sweat from my brow, I tried my damndest not to smile. I failed quite spectacularly as I took the last several steps in a leap, my mouth having sprinted even faster beyond that.

"You see _that_ shit?! And before you ask, there is plenty more where that came from," I boldly exclaimed as I pointed directly at the off balance salamander to drive my point home even further.

"I don't even know what to say," she replied.

With palpable joy and relief running as electrical current over my entire body, I smiled wider and said, "Oh, that's easy. You want to say that you're going to release that Chimaera into our custody, let that wonderfully tall drink of horned healing potion go save your sister with me, and then maybe a shy comment about how hard it is to keep your own clothes on in my presence."

It wasn't until her mouth dropped open in shock that I managed to wrangle my tongue back into some semblance of my own personality.

I quickly corrected, "That is...to honor our bargain. For the most part."

"I knew you were insane but had no idea it was to this degree," she answered, shaking her head. "After how public Sara made our arrangement, I don't intend to renege."

I nodded. "Then let's get this show on the road."

The next several minutes saw us all ushered toward an exit. That was probably for the best, especially given that the crowd of Ashtails could have decided at any moment that they wanted to see another round, or start one themselves.

With the desert now laid out before us, I took a deep breath and resigned myself to yet another hellish trek through the god-forsaken sands.

Before we could take our first step that would take us out of the desert instead of deeper into it, the bitch that was fate would have yet another laugh at my expense.

"Doesn't look like she's going anywhere," Ixora said, nodding towards a collapsed Ila only a few meters away.

Are you kidding me? Rushing over, it was obvious she'd been in a fight, but I couldn't see more than a handful of bruises and superficial cuts.

Worry gripped me as I wondered aloud, "Who was she been fighting with? Was it poison? Magic?"

Sara quickly attended to Ila, her horn glowing brightly for several moments as she looked the dragon over from horn to talon.

Until Sara turned and began to speak, I didn't realize that I'd been holding my breath waiting for the answer.

"She's been beaten by a trio of foes that would easily best the strongest among us," Sara began, finally placing a calming hand on my shoulder. "She's dehydrated, exhausted, and does not appear to have eaten in weeks. I don't know how she was still on her feet when she got here. There's nothing I can do to cure those conditions, but some food, water, and rest certainly can."

As good as that news was to hear compared to nearly any alternative of which I could conceive, it meant being slowed down. That was not at all what I needed.

While I agonized over how to cart a massive sleeping dragon across the desert, I saw Jess whisper something to Sara that caused the unicorn's eyes to go wide, her expression otherwise unreadable.

"Joseph," Sara said. "Jess and I are going ahead. We'll be much faster on our own and I know exactly where in Bestalion Azalea is going."

"But-" I tried to interrupt.

Sara wasn't having it. "If you saw her now you would only put her in more danger. The poison has been in her system so long that it's going to take more than removing it to save her and she's more likely to listen to my instructions if you aren't there. I need you to trust us."

What else could I do? My decision was helped by the belief that every second I wasted also put Zee in more risk.

"Go," I blurted out, adding, "Please Sara...don't let her die."

"I'll do what I can." Sara nodded and tossed me a large backpack. "The dragon needs the food and water more than I do and Ixora would probably just let her die."

With that, Jess was off into the sky like a shot with Sara and her hastily grabbed husband in close pursuit.

I really didn't want to deal with any more Ixora than I needed to. "We'll head out as well. I don't want to impose any more on your...uh...generosity."

It hadn't been meant as an insult, but she certainly took it that way. To be fair, she probably deserved it as an insult. Even though the Ashtails had a lot more problems than the loss of a traitor they planned to execute, a prisoner they intended to sell, and one missing salamander, I didn't want the extra blame Ixora was certainly going to throw at me.

At my comment, Ixora took an angry step toward me but stopped immediately when Hildegard matched her pace and ferocity to interpose herself between us.

"He can hear you from there," the orc said with a challenging smile. Hot damn. What a difference a few minutes can make.

I could see anger, fear, and frustration playing across Ixora's face. When she spoke, however, it was an unexpected emotion that won out over her tone.

"I didn't sleep at all last night. I couldn't escape the nightmare of having to tell my sister that you'd been killed because of me. Seeing her justified anger and imagining how angry she'd be with me wasn't as bad as imagining that she wouldn't address it at all.

If this is the end of the Ashtails then I'm relieved, Joseph. I was never up to the task of leading us anyway, and without any chance at the bounty on Hildegard, there's no way we can survive...as bandits or otherwise," Ixora said.

"Maybe not out here in the middle of nowhere," I replied. "I can't imagine why you wouldn't like Lord Ahmose, but why not move to Umbra? It can't be worse than dying out here alone or scattering your whole extended family to the four winds, can it?"

"You must know the laws. Without having something extraordinary to offer, we won't be Akhet. The Ashtail Legion will die or fade away before we've put in the years of service she demands. We were so close." Ixora shook her head. "Now we'll never even attain what we once had or have a chance to be what we always aspired to be."

Did she think banditry was going to get her any closer to the goal she was thinking about? I seriously doubted it.

"Look, I'm not great at giving pep talks, so I'm not even going to try. I will tell you what your sister probably would if she was here," I said. "Quit whining. Get off your ass and do something!"

"It probably would go something like that, wouldn't it?" Ixora looked at me and let slip the hint of a smile.

"Actually…" I began as a thought materialized, "Don't take this the wrong way if this is some sort of priceless ancestral home, but maybe there is a way you could survive out here. Seems like there should be plenty of reputable people that would definitely be interested in buying this place. Or maybe renting it? It might not be able to house a couple hundred people, but having an outpost here could open up a dozen possible trade routes. Then maybe the profits could support the rest of the clan or catch Ahmose's attention or something. Anyway, it's just a thought. If you hadn't given me so much shit about trying to save Zee, I might have been willing to offer more, but now we're in a hurry."

That was enough for Ixora to think about. I thought my suggestion was honestly pretty good and definitely better than ending up dead at the hands of Ahmose's soldiers once the land had recovered from the war.

Seeing that Keres was now standing nearby, I turned and asked her, "Any chance you could carry the Great and Mighty Ila for me?"

"A good chance." The Chimaera laughed loudly before gently picking up the dragon and moving her to a small cart that was sitting nearby. "You bargained for my life, and you didn't have to. Until I've repaid that debt, I'll do anything you ask, within reason."

"You know we're on a suicide mission, right?" I said.

"If this dragon is going, I don't think you could call any mission suicide," Keres answered. "If what she did to Shel's Reavers was without food or sleep, I'd tag along just to get a chance to see her go all out."

"That's if I can convince her to join our cause. I doubt I can just whip my dick out to get her on board."

Phina smirked. "There's plenty of shame in trying. I say go for it."

"We'll figure it out later. Let's start moving," I said.

"Take this," Ixora said a moment later as she tossed Hilde's massive axe to the giddy orc with a grunt of effort. "We don't have any use for it."

When no immediate betrayal fell upon me at Hildegard's hands, I decided that I'd trust her...or trust that at least _one_ of the hundreds of people within shouting distance would have come to my assistance if she'd been feeding me a load of bullshit and tried to murder me at the first opportunity.

Ixora then headed back into the sanctuary, leaving us facing the endless desert. The tracks left by the running unicorn were already vanishing into memory within the caress of the desert winds as we set off at a jog.

Something told me it wasn't the last I'd see of the place, but I hoped it'd be quite some time before my next visit.

-

Having Keres along turned out to be more helpful than just having the extra muscle as she kept us moving in the right direction based on the flimsiest of landmarks, the unfamiliar stars, and even desert animal behavior, all while pulling a cart full of dragon.

It was still very slow going and the best estimate already put us nearly two days behind Sara and Jess, assuming the pair was keeping to a normal sleep schedule.

While we travelled, I started bringing Keres and Hildegard up to speed on what we were aiming to do as well as how I'd gotten to this point in the first place. I glossed over a lot of the more sordid details, my speech stopping immediately when I got to my first trip to Kaori.

"I am your property now. You don't have to worry about upsetting me," Hilde incorrectly guessed at the reason for my silence.

"That isn't...wait, property?" I asked.

"Oh yes, master."

"You...really don't have to call me master. I was just trying to piss you off with that. I hoped it would give me an edge in our duel."

"What do you want me to call you?" she asked.

"Joe is fine."

"As you please, Joe. If you desire anything else, ever, just ask."

"Damn, and I thought salamanders acted pitiful after losing a fight to a man," Keres scoffed.

Hilde turned slowly to the chimaera, her smile fading as she did so. "The devotion I have for my master doesn't extend to you, fucking abomination. Give me a reason and I'll tear you into however many pointless beasts you're supposed to be."

The orc's hand fell to the haft of her massive axe, far more promise than threat.

"Come on, it's already enough of a pain in the ass walking in this god forsaken sun without us getting pissed at each other," I said.

Phina chimed in, "You can both take comfort in the fact that the other will probably be dead when this is over."

"And who are you to my new master, demon?" Hilde asked.

Phina looked away. "Have him tell you. I don't think you'll like it."

This seemed a good a time as any to try a first test of Hilde's thoughts on being my property. "As long as Phina doesn't tell you to betray me or something, treat her exactly as you would treat me. Without getting into too many details, she's basically the me you killed in Kaori...sort of. And I don't expect you to _like_ everyone else we'll end up dealing or travelling with, but do me a solid and try to keep your murder-on focused toward enemies."

"She's…? So not only did you not die, you multiplied?" She asked, her smile returning. "As you command, Joe."

"And the reason I stopped was because that meant I was going to have to mention the…'legion class necromancer'," I said.

Phina looked pained at my words as she said, "Lorelei's-the wight, that is-mother. We've been able to piece together that she's been...unmade due to the cost from the ritual we used to retrieve the wight."

Talking any more about this topic was the last thing I thought I wanted to do, but something felt different for just a moment as the memories came to mind. The way Hildegard seemed determined to follow any order I gave her triggered a different sort of memory. Though, where I had been seeing Durand's face written into all of those memories, for the tiniest breath of a moment I saw...someone else. The memory of the face I saw faded almost immediately, but the memory that I'd seen another face in the first place was still there. That was something.

"Joe! Did you-"

"I did," I quickly answered. "I saw someone else for a minute. Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

Phina answered, giving voice to my thoughts. "Something is better than nothing. Maybe it means she isn't gone, or that something can change, or maybe it just means that the best case scenario is that we'll eventually get to remember someone that's still gone forever."

"Wait, what does it mean to be unmade?" Keres asked.

"Like she never existed. The memories about her are gone or changed, and everything she might have done was attributed to someone or something else. I really don't want to talk about it anymore. All you need to know is that for all intents and purposes, the 'legion class necromancer' Hilde mentioned is the enemy at the end of our journey," I answered.

There was a few moments of silence before I continued telling the story.

After I filled in the rest of the details of our current situation, Hilde crossed her arms in thought. "I took a contract position with the Violaceous Regard so I've had a chance to see part of their forces. Even if you forget about Durand herself, no commander in their right mind would attempt an assault on that castle with anything less than half a Kaori legion. And then there's Marshal Penelope. There's not many warriors alive that I can imagine beating her, and that includes myself and both of the Ashtail sisters that bested me."

"We're still going," I said, my tone flat.

Hilde nodded and smiled. "Just letting you know that your chances are worse than you thought."

Why did she have to sound so chipper saying that? I wanted to get angry but instead opted to take this from another angle.

"Then I'll be relying on your tactical expertise to get our chances from one in a million to one in a hundred," I said.

"We'll have to get to one in a million first but I will offer you whatever I can, as you desire," Hilde answered.

-

I remembered reading a study about how long humans could stay awake and that, even in extreme cases, they could return to relative normalcy after a night or two of sleep.

Most likely just to challenge my thoughts on the topic, Ila had been asleep for three days. Getting her to hydrate turned out to be easier than expected with the dragon sucking down any water that touched her lips, all while continuing to sleep.

Water was one thing, and however important, her now obviously sallow appearance told us it had been quite some time since the dragon had eaten a proper meal.

Ila's apparent weakness made it that much more surprising that her first act upon awakening around noon on the fourth day was to spring into the air.

"Where am I?" she called down, her eyes scanning us and the horizon.

I took the initiative. "About three days north of the Ashtail sanctuary."

Deciding quickly and conclusively that we weren't a threat, Ila landed next to me and began to look me over. "I had a dream that you were fighting this orc in single combat. I was certain you had died."

She wasn't asking for food yet and I didn't feel like determining if it was her pride that kept her from asking. I reached into my pack and tossed her an entire loaf of hard bread without a word.

Satisfied enough once she started to devour it, I said, "I'm pretty hard to kill for some reason."

"Not _that_ hard," Phina countered. "You just aren't very good at staying dead."

That comment was the last before a deafening silence pressed in around us.

Ila looked me up and down, her eyes appraising every inch of me. Knowing how important her assistance would be, her scrutiny had me feeling more self-conscious than I ever was being naked in the Alnor market square.

When her eyes ran across the scar on my face, Ila finally spoke again as though answering an unasked question. "But you're so...small."

As badly as I wanted to respond that it wasn't the size that mattered, I instead went with, "I'm Joseph. You can call me that, or Joe if you'd like. Whatever stories you've heard about me by now are all completely true."

Ila turned and looked into the distance, only speaking again after a long uncomfortable moment. "Azalea of the Ashtails said that you've fucked half of the mamono on the island."

My god, was Ila making a joke?

"Definitely true," Phina said, reminding me that she was still a bitch.

"You met Zee? Azalea, I mean," I said.

Ila pulled her wings in closer and turned back to face me. "She fought me to a standstill. That you won the loyalty of such a warrior speaks great volumes of your capabilities, however invisible they may be to the eye."

If Zee couldn't outright beat Ila, the dragon had to be very skilled. It was hard to know for sure though given that we knew Zee was dying and Ila was tired and starving. I got the feeling that neither of them were satisfied with such an outcome.

"We're headed to meet her now. I'm hoping the unicorn we reunited with her husband will be able to cure her sickness," I said.

"Good, then I shall accompany you." Ila said with a nod. "Once I defeat her, I'll claim you as a piece of treasure to add to my hoard."

Normally I would have been so accustomed to being thought of as property that I might have tried to negotiate my way free of such a raw deal. Instead I smiled and replied, "You're welcome to try. What chance would I, a simple whore, have against The Great and Mighty Ila, Winglord of the Skyrender Dragonflight?"

"Chosen Champion and Blessed of Lord Akuma," she added without missing a beat, unable to hide a momentary grin before quickly hiding it again. "You forgot that part."

I nodded to Phina and the succubus responded by tossing the orb to Ila and saying, "I'm sorry, Miss Great and Mighty Ila, Winglord of the Skyrender Dragonflight, Chosen Champion and Blessed of Lord Akuma. That part wasn't on here."

Phina and I shared a devious look and I knew exactly what we needed to do to get this name issue handled.

I nodded, trying to keep my smile hidden as I said, "If you'll be travelling with us, I should introduce everyone. First, the orc is Hildegard of Black Plains, former Kaori General. Hildegard of Black Plains, this is The Great and Mighty Ila, Winglord of the Skyrender Dragonflight, Chosen Champion and Blessed of Lord Akuma."

Quicker than I might have assumed of her, Hildegard shook her head and then looked to me for confirmation, sighing slightly before saying, "It is a pleasure to meet The Great and Mighty Ila, Winglord of the Skyrender Dragonflight, Chosen Champion and Blessed of Lord Akuma."

"This is Phina, Sullen Semen Swallowing Salt-Stuffed Simulacrum. You've met but you haven't been formally introduced to the Great and Mighty Ila, Winglord of the Skyrender Dragonflight, Chosen Champion and Blessed of Lord Akuma," I said.

"Whatever. You're the simulacrum, asshole," Phina remarked.

Pausing a moment to catch my breath, Keres earned more than a handful of brownie points in saying, "And while we also haven't formally been introduced, I'm also pleased to meet The Great and Mighty-"

"Ila," the dragon interrupted with a frown and a slight blush. "Just Ila is fine."

I smiled. "Hot damn! Well in that case...this is Phina, that's Hildegard or Hilde, and that's Keres."

Everyone nodded in assent and Phina added with a note of seriousness, "We truly don't mean to cheapen the weight of your full title."

I added, "Definitely not. And I promise that we'll use it when decorum or the situation calls for it."

Phina realized just as I did that Ila's mother may have died thousands of years ago, but the wound was still a fresh one to her. I quickly added, "And I apologize if we offended you. Now or before...and likely later."

"You plan to offend me?"

"It's more that I don't mean to but sometimes I can't help it. Sometimes things come out of my mouth whether I want them to or not. I have a thought and my brain moves it into production and then goes on to something else before my mouth is ready to present it," I said.

"I'm not so delicate a flower that I'll wither under the words of a piece of my future treasure pile."

"That may be, but I'm less worried about withering and more concerned that I'll piss you off. It certainly wouldn't be the first time."

Ila looked away as she finished the last few bites of bread, chasing it with a long pull from the proffered waterskin. "My actions in response to what you said were not wrong, but I'll be far less irritable once I eat something with more substance."

"We can make that happen," I began. "Actually, now that you're awake we can pick up the pace a bit. I could go for some food that isn't questionable jerked meat, hard bread, or Phina's oatmeal."

"You'd better not start with the oatmeal shit again," Phina said.

"Moving on," I said.

And so we did.

-

Under ideal conditions, we still had at least a week before we'd be out of the desert and into Kioko's realm. I was glad that Keres had a good idea of where we were going because I really didn't want to imagine being stuck in the desert any longer than absolutely necessary.

Left with little else to do but think as I mindlessly forced my legs to drag me through the oppressive heat, I started to realize that my new weapons were going to be rather unreliable. It was certainly easier to see myself drawing them against an enemy knowing that the worst possible outcome was a rousing bone session, but I needed to be able to think beyond that, especially if I was faced with more than one opponent or trying to defend my comrades.

Remembering Hilde's look of recognition when I'd drawn my weapons during our duel, I figured she'd be as good a person to ask as any.

"Hilde," I said just as we settled down to make camp.

"Yes?" she replied, perhaps too innocently.

"These swords I have...have you seen weapons like them before?"

"Yes, but not in a very long time. There's been an unspoken ban on demon silver or similarly alloyed weapons in Kaori for an age. It isn't very useful for killing your enemies as I'm sure you know."

"That's why they were given to me, but just holding them gets me...excited. Too excited. Do you know of any way to counteract that?"

"I've heard it's worse for mamono, especially if they're enchanted like those. When the metal draws in energy, at least some of it is going to pass through the wielder. The only way to counteract it would be developing a tolerance to-"

I quickly interrupted, "Sweet Christ, no. I'm never eating those again."

She shook her head. "You can also just adapt to it. Anyone with a nose can tell you've been filled with far more than your fair share of demonic energy. It hasn't always driven you crazy, right?"

Phina chose that opportunity to chime in. "You know, succubi have to deal with a lot more of those desires than you and we still manage to function just fine. Maybe you just need to practice."

"That statement would be a lot more convincing if you weren't trying to fish my cock out of my trousers while you said it, Phina," I said, making no attempt to stop her.

Hilde blushed slightly as Phina stopped talking, finding a far more important task for her mouth spring to life.

"If it would please you, I could help you learn to master those weapons," Hilde said softly. "I don't wish to offend you, but your skills are dangerously lacking."

"Lacking doesn't even begin to describe them. Are you certain you even know which end of the sword is supposed to go into the enemy?" Ila asked with a huff.

My knees were already getting weak as Phina's tongue lashed into overdrive while trying to draw her dinner from me. Damn she was getting _way_ too good at that.

Ignoring Ila, I nodded at Hilde. "Y-yes...let's do that. We can s-start tonight."

Averting her eyes, Keres said, "We'll see if we can hunt up something more filling than these rations."

"I shall accompany you. This man stinks like a camp whore and it's already offending my senses," Ila said with her arms crossed, refusing to even look toward Phina and my impromptu coupling.

-

As the now welcome chill of the evening began to set in, Hilde stood across from me and crossed her arms.

"How do you want me to do this?" she asked.

"I get the feeling I shouldn't tell you to go all out," I said.

"I'll do whatever you ask, but you wouldn't survive Kaori cadet training...not without some serious pain and any number of broken bones," she answered without a trace of boast or malice.

"Well, Zee wasn't exactly gentle with me...but let's say don't kill me or break anything but otherwise I want you to otherwise put me through the most effective training you can imagine until we reach Bestalion," I said, almost wishing I could swallow those words after they'd escaped my mouth.

I fully expected Hilde to haul off and smack me as a training introduction, but she instead looked thoughtful a moment and scratched her chin as she looked me over. She began to squeeze and poke at my arms and legs.

"Your reflexes are barely acceptable but your strength, endurance, flexibility, and instincts are fucking horrible. Based on our duel it also looks like you'll end up filling your own pants with cum before you put enough holes in the enemy to get them to yield," she said, seemingly to herself.

"So…? What do you want me to do?" I asked.

"This'll have to do." She was silent for several more moments before she finally nodded to herself and continued. "Pull out the larger blade and don't put it down for any reason until we're finished training. To start, I want you to jump left and right with the largest jumps you can manage. With any thin blade, you need to be able to quickly engage and disengage and this will help build your leg muscles. Once that sword has you feeling like can't resist your desires any longer, attempt to attack me."

I nodded silently, sighing in concern as I pulled Tizona free. Perhaps because Phina had so recently relieved me of any built up pressure, I wasn't overcome immediately, and I began the exercise Hilde had detailed.

No amount of jogging could have prepared me for the burn that consumed every muscle from my hips to the soles of my feet as I began Hilde's routine.

Less than two minutes in I was sweating profusely and completely covered in sand as the unstable footing made it almost impossible to keep my balance. My mind also kept wandering to thoughts of the revenge I planned to carry out upon the orc's increasingly attractive body.

Just when I was sure I'd snap if I didn't claim that body, I turned one of my jumps into a lunge toward Hilde but my legs were already so sore that I came well short of striking her. She was more than ready for it, however, and stepped inside my thrust to grab my wrist and pull me onto my face. A moment later her foot pinned my wrist to the ground while my body had trapped my other arm beneath me.

With my legs little better than jelly and my arms immobilized, I was almost completely helpless. This appeared to be her plan.

With a smile, Hilde kneeled over me, her crotch hovering scant inches from my face. "That was good, Joe. And now we play the waiting game."

"Huh?" I gasped, barely able to catch my breath enough to form the words.

"You know that you can order me to release you and even beg you to mercilessly fuck me like the cock hungry slut I am," she said in breathless tones.

"But I can't," I managed to say.

"We'll see. Your training is to resist that impulse," she said as she smiled with unabashed hunger down at me. "But how nice would it feel to bury your seed deep in your loyal slave? To know that nothing would make me happier that to feel owned by you as you claim your right to use this body to satisfy your most forbidden desires? And that no matter how depraved your actions, I'll thank you for the pleasure of having been able to fulfill them?"

When the fuck did this mass of hate and muscle learn to tease me as well as any succubus?

"Oh shit, Joe...I think I want to see that," Phina suddenly whispered from beside me. "There's no way my mouth was enough for you. You might be able to fool everyone else, but you'll never be able to fool me."

And then of _course_ the succubus has to join in to make things even harder on me.

The battle raging in my mind was the hardest I'd ever faced against the the enemy of my desire. In the past, when I'd been thrown into lust this deep, I'd always been helpless to resist or forced to endure regardless of how badly my body begged for release. This was the polar opposite-I was in complete control, but with the knowledge that to use that control was to surrender.

Knowing that didn't help. There was no way I was going to be able to resist. Or at least that's what I thought before I heard another voice cut into my consciousness with the icy chill that seemed to radiate off of it.

Ila said to Keres, loudly enough that I could hear, "This just one more reason why men are barely even worthy of distraction. You whisper a few things to them, blow in their ear, or just swing your tail in their direction and they'll beg you for the chance to rub themselves against or within you."

At the moment it would certainly have been easier to willingly slam my cock in a sliding glass door, but I managed to croak out the word, "Stop."

Hilde immediately let me up with Phina (thankfully) also backing off. Even looking at either of them was dangerous because I knew that even the barest of hints would set them on me, and I still wasn't convinced that wasn't exactly what I wanted.

Instead I stalked toward Ila. It's a good thing she was kneeling near our camp fire to allow me to catch her gaze straight on.

I then proceeded to lie right to her face, "I'm not as easy as you seem to think and I doubt _you'd_ last ten seconds holding this blade before you threw yourself on me like a starving zombie."

Ila frowned for only a moment before her lips curled into a smile. "That's clever, Joseph, but I'm not stupid. Don't take my comments as a personal insult, just an observation on your entire gender."

That was supposed to be better? And, damn it...she'd figured out my perfect plan almost immediately.

"I'll prove you wrong. Just watch me," I declared before quickly dashing out of range of the campfire to "take a piss".

Another lie, but it let me save face in front of the mountain of scaly arrogance that was busy cleaning and preparing a large deer with Keres.

I quietly finished my certainly non-urine urgent business and sheathed Tizona before heading back to the campfire.

"Did you know that in some places they consider it a sin to waste food?" Phina asked with a scowl.

"Oh, you wanted the liver?" Keres, busy preparing their catch for roasting, said in response. "No problem, it's all yours."

"See? Now we aren't wasting food," I said with a snicker.

Devouring some pieces of completely raw meat, Hilde said, "That wasn't as much physical conditioning as I would have liked, but we'll have plenty of time as we travel tomorrow. I also want to see how long your stubbornness can hold up your resolve."

"Yeah," I muttered, resigned to the reality of the twin hells I'd be dealing with the moment the sun came up. I had nobody to blame but myself and the chance for a pay off was questionable, but betting on the long shot was becoming a specialty of mine.

Though I had to wonder why I was so insistent on proving that I was more than "just" a human to Ila. Was it because I still didn't believe I deserved the mark Ixi had given me? Because I wanted her loyalty?

No, I'm pretty sure the greatest part of it was the challenge of what seemed to be an impossible hunt. Catching most mamono was like fishing with dynamite or like being the fish myself, but Zee and now Ila seemed like far more elusive prey.

At least with Zee I'd had a goal, however impossible, toward which I could aim. Ila was something else entirely and it was going to take more than a lucky fall and an uncooperative piece of furniture to win the dragon over.

Without knowing if Zee would be well enough to stay my immortal champion, or how many other allies I'd be able to gather, I was going to have to do all I could to make absolutely certain I earned Ila's allegiance.

Maybe it was from holding the reforged Tizona all day, but I somehow knew I'd be up to the challenge.


	13. Chapter 13 - Prelude to a Festival

Chapter 13 - Prelude to a Festival

-Elsewhere-

A small group of mamono stood around Narayani within the Honeybee Inn wearing excited expressions.

"You just have to come with us! Since we lost our guitarist, you've been the only person we could get to fill in, and you're better than she was to be quite honest," the arachne leader of the small musical troupe said.

Narayani sighed as she shook the sweat of their recent performance from her feathers. This was the seventh group of musicians that had passed through in as many days, all heading toward this festival in Kioko. Now having reached the end of her two weeks with Belle, she was free to follow them.

She still had a job to do, however. If she ever wanted to return home, she needed to deliver that package, and as wonderful as it would be to travel to this festival herself, it wasn't getting her any closer to her goal.

"Sweetie, why don't you just go?" Belle asked with a kind hand upon Narayani's shoulder. "Joseph didn't seem like the type to stay in one place for long and I can't imagine him staying in the desert overlong with skin that fair."

"See? Even she thinks you should come with us! This festival is going to be huge. I'm sure someone there will have seen this man you're looking for," the arachne added with a smile. "It's not because we're all spiders is it?"

That was a bit odd, Narayani had to admit. This group consisted of two arachne and an ushi-oni. An arachne musician seemed odd enough, but Narayani never could have imagined that an ushi-oni would have the self control needed to make music.

"We aren't going to eat you," the soft-spoken ushi-oni began. "This seal is the most powerful one I could get in Kioko and it keeps me calm enough. I only take it off for performances."

This group of women played a very interesting style of music using a pair of differently tuned guitars and several drums. It was played fast and heavy, with the ushi-oni singer going from quiet and reserved to a bonfire of screaming emotions once she removed the sealing cloth she wore.

Narayani had been exposed to so much new music and so many new things since she'd come to Amarante that she already had a dozen ideas for new songs she couldn't wait to try out. She didn't want to admit just how right her new boss had been in deciding to send her for this delivery. Maybe the man truly would be at this festival. And Parisa _did_ say to take as long as needed to deliver the package.

"No, playing music with you three was enough to convince me that I can trust you. When your music comes from the soul like that, it's impossible to hide who you are." With a wide smile, Narayani then added, "Fine, fine. But if I'm going with you, we're going to need to come up with some much more interesting guitar parts. I'll fall asleep if I'm not playing something at least a little more complex!"

"Yes! This is going to be so great!" the leader cheered, pumping her fist for emphasis. "With how fast you picked this up, I'm sure we can think of something good by the time we get to the festival."

"Don't be too hard on Joseph when you finally catch up to him!" Belle said with a smile. "But I wish you all good fortune."

Tomorrow they'd be setting out for Kioko, yet another place Narayani had never been. She wondered what other sorts of music she might get to hear. Would it be as different and varied as what she'd already experienced in Amarante?

She decided that even if she never made it home, travelling around learning and playing music sounded pretty good too.

-

-Some time ago-

"Well, you look like shit," Miranda said to her sister, not fully able to hide the look of concern. "Was it worth it?"

"Are you asking if I managed to get anything to help the cause?" Mira asked in response.

"No, I'm asking if it was worth it."

"It was."

Miranda was silent for several moments before she rubbed her forehead in exasperation.

"You know...we should never have signed on for this. This isn't even one of the major Teremir guilds and they managed to close off nearly every option we have, all as an afterthought. And this is just one member of their council," Miranda said.

Straightening her glasses to bite back whatever she was planning to say, Mira said, "Did...did you find anything?"

"I don't like those spectacles. I'd rather you just tell me what's on your mind."

"W-well...I think it would be better to wear them now. What I have to say right now would leave a handprint on your f-face," Mira meekly answered.

Miranda shook her head and began. "I went through every single archive I could get my hands on to try to put together a list of candidates and to search for anything that could help. I tracked down everything I could about every single Grand Blood Tournament winner, every pankration champion, every mythic horror, every war hero from Elizabeth and Ahmose, and every bounty hunter or assassin that would be insane enough to take this job."

"And?"

"What I found couldn't even really be called leads. Two options I found could be promising if they weren't at least as dangerous as the 'Red Hand' was in her prime while also being far less sane. The rest are dead, hiding, retired, attached to staying living, or already purchased by the enemy. One of the things I managed to dig up could be huge, but I don't know enough about ancient dragon clan law to know if we can even use it. The rest of what I found is bad news," Miranda said.

Mira took her glasses off completely. "Wait...the two you're talking about. You aren't chasing after that fucking ridiculous story again about the legendary golem that-"

"It isn't ridiculous," Miranda interrupted. "I found out where she is...or at least the territory. Everyone assumed she was in Kaori-and she actually was until the borders were redrawn sometime after the Dragon War. Honestly...it's an interesting story and one that I think we should investigate if we live through this, but she isn't usable. Most golems have-what-a dozen to a few hundred runic instructions, right? The first man she was with apparently engraved over a _million_ and the rumors say she's probably doubled that on her own since then."

"Okay, then why in Hekate's name even fucking bring it up? Tell me something _useful_!"

"Well excuse me! I told you we didn't have a lot of options," Miranda snapped in reply before sighing. "You want useful?! I found out that there are at _least_ four assassins and two exceptional bounty hunters after Joe. Another Teremir guild seems to want him dead now too and Elizabeth put a bounty on him for some reason that I can't understand, but is likely entirely justified knowing him."

Not flinching, Mira put her hands on her hips. "Is that everything?"

"Oh, why stop there?" Miranda angrily continued. "The part about dragon law matters because I found proof of at least one more surviving ancient dragon clan within Teremir. The best part of that? The other Teremir guild that has gotten involved has this entire clan bought and paid for. If their assassins don't get the job done-and they likely will-they could rain fire down on him such that hasn't been seen in an age. Oh, and my sister has feelings for the idiot at the center of all this."

Mira began pacing calmly. "Do you know the name of this dragon clan?"

"Sunwrath, I think."

"And do you have any idea when these assassins are going to try to make a move on him?"

"It can't happen in Teremir or it could get both guilds in trouble. If I was going to make a move, it'd be in the confusion of the festival."

"Festival?" Mira asked.

"Oh, one of Azalea's group said they were going to scout some possible leads there. If Azalea plans to be there, Joe will too."

"Can we get a message to him before he gets there?"

"I knew you'd say that, and the answer is no. We can't afford a messenger and we're too far for a magical link," Miranda began, her mouth closing for several moments before she sighed heavily and continued, "But we can get _ourselves_ there if you're up to handling that wind spell for a few days."

After finishing her statement, Miranda left to gather her things, already certain how her sister would answer.

They were going to be cutting it extremely close. Mira was still not fully recovered from her ordeal in the desert and was further exhausted by the confusing feelings that kept assaulting her. She wasn't going to let that man die until she had those feelings sorted out. They just needed to get to Bestalion before Joe.

-

My reality had become agony in triplicate, and that wasn't even counting the sun or constant worry over Zee's health.

Desperate lungs drew scalding air into an already overheating mechanism as muscles burned, shook, and eventually failed. Every single moment of every single day saw me wishing I could be dragged by the neck across the sands, that I could scratch the sexual itch coming from my blades that Hildegard intentionally made worse, and more than once that I could just escape from the pain by any means necessary.

The second night, my arms were so tired that I couldn't even lift the surprisingly well-prepared venison to my own lips. I ended up just mashing my face into the simple plate like a dog and tore into the meat in likewise fashion.

It wasn't until the third night that I found that there was far more strength in me than I knew. It took Ila to draw it out of me and I can't say if it was done at Hilde's prodding, but it was enough to push life back into muscles that had already spent two days waving a white flag.

"We'd have caught them by now if you weren't slowing us down. Are you sure Azalea is that important to you, Joe?" Ila asked.

"Goddamnit, Ila," Phina said as she scurried away and started shoving things into a sack outside of my view.

"What?" I asked in near disbelief. "Are you seriously asking me that?"

Ila continued, "You saw the look on the unicorn's face before she left without you. That was the look of someone already considering how they plan to tell you that your mate is dead."

I looked around angrily, noticing that nobody would meet my gaze.

"How would you even know?" I protested weakly. "You don't know that."

She frowned deeply in response. "Your human brain couldn't even begin to conceive of a fraction of what I know. If it could, you'd realize you're addressing the last of an entire _clan_ of dragons and that as an officer, I often had to deliver such messages."

"So...what? You think she's going to be dead by the time we get there? Sara told me that I'd only put her in more danger if I was there."

Turning to Keres, Ila asked, "Was it Kaori's blood you gave her?"

"How did…?" Keres began before her eyes fell shamefully. "Yes."

Hilde spat. "That's a death sentence. You feed that to your soldiers and you've got an immortal battalion...for a few days at best before the poison takes over and the soldier dies, goes insane and then dies, or dies in the midst of a mindless rampage. Not even the slavers were stupid enough to use it."

"Well the slavers weren't desperate!" Keres shouted, her voice cracking. "We'd been fighting for years and it had long felt like we were only fighting for a chance to choose where we died. All I knew was that it would give us an edge. I didn't know the consequences of what we were using and I didn't ask."

"I didn't think I could have more respect for that salamander," Hilde said calmly. "She's had it in her system for years?"

Ila rested her chin on her clasped claws. "The poison is mostly ushi-oni blood and it will force the body to regenerate, but the body eventually rejects the alien limbs and organs as they grow out of control. It is unlikely that even a powerful unicorn would be able to give you more than a few moments to say your last farewells."

Everything else forgotten, I was on my feet in an instant. "We're breaking camp. Let's fucking go now."

As I looked around, I saw Phina shoving the last of our supplies into a satchel and realized that everything was already prepared to move. I tried to say something but had no words so I simply nodded and began striding through the darkness to the north.

-

"I can't believe you, Ila," Phina protested as her quasi-doppelganger moved out of earshot. "He isn't going to survive four more days with no rest."

"Come dawn he'll be back to weakly licking his breakfast from the plate and he'll beg for rest," Ila replied. "How did you manage to break camp so quickly?"

Phina sighed into the darkness. "I didn't do it quickly. I just started as soon as I realized you were about to see how stubborn he is."

"I was sure she did it on purpose," Hilde said with a smile. "Hope you got enough sleep over the last couple days."

"I'll spit flame before I let a human outlast me," Ila said with confidence.

Phina suddenly stopped and said, "Wait. Keres...didn't you use the same poison Azalea did?"

Keres stretched as she kicked out the remains of the small fire. "My body isn't like most mamono. I was able to survive long enough to flush it from my system."

"What about the others that were in your unit?" Phina asked.

"Sara healed them and removed the poison," Keres answered simply.

"That's impossible," Hilde scoffed. "A chimaeric abomination I can believe, but someone in Kaori would have known if someone had found a way to remove that toxin. Being able to use Kaori's Blood poison as a reliable weapon or even medicine would be a priceless discovery."

"I don't know how she did it, just that she did," Keres said with a shrug.

With that, the rest of the group quickly caught up and continued through the night, the frantic sounds of labored breath from the day before were now measured, rhythmic, and forceful.

-

We ran.

I stopped feeling my aching legs, my hearts frantic thumping, or the meaningful thoughts that tried in vain to pierce my waking unconscious. The only thought in my head was the point on the back of Keres' neck upon which I'd set my focus.

After enough time, it wasn't the pain or exhaustion that threatened to take me out of my trance, but the moments of comfort. Each time I passed through shade from the sun, took a drink of water, or ate the food that was placed in my hands, my mind tried to reassert control.

Even the thoughts of why I continued to run had been buried, and they remained in that greyscale waking dream until, without warning, my point of focus suddenly rushed toward me and smashed me in the face.

When my consciousness rushed back and splashed into the frigid waters of awareness, I realized that I wasn't lying on sand, but something much softer and cooler. And as my eyes regained their focus, it was on the brilliant reddish orange of sunset across a sky full of wispy clouds.

As my vision returned, so too did the pain that had been held at bay. But my body was done listening to my opinion at that point and my attempted howl of agony left as a silent scream, my entire body shaking as my muscles all tried to jump in random directions at once.

The pain was pushing the boundaries on what I thought I could even comprehend. It felt as though my spine shattered and sent bone piercing into every nerve in my body. My weak attempts to breathe only sent daggers through my chest, the air itself trying to suffocate me.

While my vision swam and filled with stars over encroaching darkness, I couldn't even remember why I had been running in the first place.

I saw faces over me with unfamiliar expressions. Was that worry? Was it laughter?

After a moment, a hand (or was it a claw?) settled upon my face and then all I could feel was cold as my consciousness finally, blessedly, slipped away.

-

"We're probably going to need to find him a healer," Phina breathlessly exclaimed, her eyes ringed with dark circles.

"The unicorn should be in the city," Hilde said as she wiped her brow.

Phina sighed. "You aren't wrong, but...fuck. This city looks as big as Alnor and that's if you ignore the fucking tent metropolis that I can only assume has to do with this festival and I don't think it's even started yet. We'd never find her in this mess."

"I've got a bit of mandragora extract left. That and some sleep should be enough. He's probably just going to be really sore for a while," Keres offered.

Ila huffed in annoyance. "What would possess a human to run so long without rest?"

"Oh, I wonder," Phina scoffed. "Someone he's trying to impress told him he couldn't."

"That's...odd," Ila said in response, pausing for several moments before continuing, "It's not as though _I_ need it, but he would recover more quickly if we found a bed for him."

"Agreed," everyone else said at once, each trying to look less tired than they were after having run for nearly three full days without stopping for more than a few minutes at a time.

-

"What do you mean we already checked in?" Phina asked, forced to shout to be heard over the roar of the large common room of the Kioko's Fortune Inn.

Apparently having misheard, the two-tailed catgirl slid a key across the counter with a smile.

-Earlier-

Four inns had already laughed them out the door upon asking for open rooms. Only one of them had taken a moment to reconsider after seeing that a man was part of the group. That human-seeming woman had suggested a place right near the center of town.

Expecting a run-down, flea-infested dive, Phina nearly gasped as she beheld the palace that sat before them. The lot upon which the inn sat seemed implausible enough on its own, with a forest of bamboo and trees surrounding the building itself, staying well clear of immaculately tended gardens and fountains.

"If this place isn't full, I'm betting we're going to break the bank getting a room here," Phina offered with a sigh.

"It's getting late and we should really find him a bed as soon as possible," Hilde said.

-Back in the Present-

"I guess that takes care of that," Keres said with a smile.

"It has to be a mistake," Phina answered.

It was plain to see just based on the attire of the people milling about the common room that they were standing in a luxury establishment. That point was made even more clear by the fact that nearly every mamono appeared to have a comparably well-dressed man or two within easy reach.

"Then we rest until they discover their mistake," Ila declared. "I, at least, deserve such accommodations."

"This is the key to the fucking honeymoon suite!" Phina protested. "There has to be-"

"Then there is surely a bed. I'm putting him in it." Hilde quickly grabbed the key and began heading up the stairs.

Far too tired to argue, Phina followed behind the determined orc looking back over her shoulder every few steps for any signs of the other shoe that had to be about to hit the floor.

They passed two women at the top of the stairs, prostrated in respect for the honored guests they assumed the group to be.

While both appeared mostly human, the first had bluish skin and radiated a pleasantly cool aura. The other had impossibly long hair, tied into a dozen long braids that were then further held at bay by being bound high on her head like a crown falling into intricate pigtails that swayed as though caught in a gentle breeze.

"A yuki-onna and a kejourou?" Keres asked.

The yuki-onna scurried off as the kejourou spoke up, her voice soft and melodious. "Welcome, honored guests. We've prepared the room per the instructions we were given and dinner is being brought as we speak. Is there anything I or anyone here could do to make your stay more pleasant?"

Phina took a breath to speak and was cut off by Ila.

"Triple the portion of whatever food you're bringing. That will be all."

Bowing deeply, the kejourou then stood and vanished down the stairs only to return moments later with her companion, carrying enough food to feed a herd of centaurs.

"Will this suffice?" she asked.

"For now," Ila answered. "We'll call upon you again if we need anything else."

The room was luxurious beyond anything Phina expected. A light scent of fresh summer flowers mingled with a light breeze so crisp and clean that it was hard to believe that the room even had walls. The decor was elaborate without being intrusive, ultimately feeling like every single inch had been placed with inspired and deliberate purpose toward the end of making any guest feel completely at ease.

Hilde laid Joe upon a bed that had been set up near the center of the main room, the fine silken sheets helping to gently cradle the unconscious idiot. Even with the pained look on his face, there was still something Phina found...adorable about seeing him asleep.

"What the fuck am I…?" Phina mumbled to herself, shaking off the entirely unwelcome thought.

He wasn't too out of it to swallow the food that was shoved into his mouth, thankfully, but he probably didn't get to experience the joy that was actually eating the unbelievably delicious cuisine.

They were all exhausted, perhaps with the exception of Ila...but it had become pretty obvious that she wouldn't have said anything even if she were about to keel over from starvation. As a result, they all ate in silence, retiring shortly after to the other beds that had been prepared for them.

If they hadn't all just spent days running across the desert, it likely would have occurred to at least one of them that the inn seemed a bit _too_ prepared, not for the wealthy guest they assumed would be angrily sleeping on the street that evening, but for their group specifically.

-

All eleven assassins of the Circle of Forced Silence had been contracted to kill the man, and all had watched the man and his clueless companions enter the inn, falling gracelessly into just one of nearly a dozen traps that had been set for the man to drive him directly to this place.

Some of them reasoned that it was fair compensation to give him and his companions one evening in the lap of luxury in exchange for their lives. The pile of gold the assassins had been offered for the job far outstripped anything they had ever been paid.

The others didn't care. They had a job to do and this just made it easier. They'd never failed a contract and they had little reason to believe this one would be different.

From their vantage in a large nearby tree, the Circle of Forced Silence bided their time, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

-

The four Sisters of Slaughter listened to the movements of the man and his party on the floor above. What were the chances that he'd stumble into the very inn they'd grudgingly checked into? The price was more than double what they had ever needed to pay to prepare an assassination. That a man somehow warranted their incomparable attention was beyond belief.

As they sharpened their weapons, one of them spoke, "Well at least the room came with food. This stuff is amazing!"

"You should already be done eating. We need to finish preparing," Their leader quietly chastised. "If an opportunity presents itself, we'll kill this man tonight."

This might be an odd contract, but the Sisters of Slaughter had a perfect record and killing this man would be no different.

-

Nearly a mile away, a lone elf slowly and carefully strung a mighty longbow. Hidden high in a small bamboo grove within a quieter part of the city, the lone huntress turned merchant considered her grim task.

Celestina was only a simple merchant. The only thing she sold were arrows, masterfully crafted from the heartwood of Elizabethan ginger cedar trees. Her arrows were fletched only with virginal gryphon feathers and tipped with enchanted dragon fangs.

Arrows like hers could go for over a hundred gold each, depending on demand and the region.

However, Celestina demanded a hundred thousand gold pieces for one of her arrows.

For that price, the elf would see the arrow delivered exactly where the buyer wished. Celestina didn't discriminate or ask questions and she had never failed to deliver one of her arrows precisely where requested by the purchaser.

She had delivered over a hundred such arrows, and the one she examined now was unlikely to be any more complicated.

Truly, she was just a simple merchant.

-

Shina finished pulling on her dark grey hood and mask, then shook out her hands to limber up her fingers. Her kunai were within easy reach, her wire strings had already been run, and the target she'd been paid a great deal to kill was only a few meters away.

Why was this human's death worth so much? Contracts this large usually only came up if a political leader needed to be removed, or when someone overwhelmingly desperate was terrified enough of their target and had the means to hire the best.

While Shina didn't consider herself the best, she hadn't failed a single assignment in the three hundred years she'd been working in the shadows.

She'd carried out assassinations and thefts along with nearly every other conceivable type of espionage. Twice Shina had even been hired to overthrow the government of an entire city and had delivered flawlessly in both cases.

There was no doubt in her mind that killing the man Joseph would give her no trouble, even with the formidable company he'd found.

It had been near the end of the ten years during which Shina posed as Rumiko's personal assassin, however, when she'd met that man. It wasn't that she felt he was anything exceptional, but his mindset was so removed from reality that it had given her cause to question her own life. She'd had the power to save him then but wasn't willing to risk compromising her mission.

Shina wasn't really in the business of asking questions about her marks, her clients, or the job she was given. She was normally given a task with a pile of gold and told to accomplish it. That simplicity had been all she'd needed her entire life.

He certainly didn't deserve death because of someone's fear then and he didn't deserve it now. It made her wonder if she was qualified to judge the worth of a life. Maybe she wasn't, but neither were the Teremir magnates that had ordered his assassination.

If nothing else, she owed him one. Even if it meant her value as an assassin would drop, electing to abandon her contract would balance the scales.

No, if Shina had any doubt, it was if she alone could _stop_ Joseph from being killed.

-

I awakened to the comfort of a soft bed and an unexpectedly full stomach, the dark of the night still pressing in closely. Thoughts on how I'd gotten here fell by the wayside. This was hardly the first (or fifth) time I'd passed out from something or another to find myself in unfamiliar surroundings.

What I did find odd was that all of my current traveling companions woke up at the same time.

"What are you doing awake?" Hilde whispered.

"Where are we?" I asked.

"Bestalion. You don't remember?" Phina asked.

I was thirsty and I really needed to piss. Trying to get to my feet, however, was more than painful. Every muscle in my body cried out in protest of any movement I tried to make.

"Fuck, I'm thirsty. It wasn't goblins this time, was it?" I mused aloud, dubious that running could make my entire body sore.

"No, you fucked yourself this time," Phina replied. "Well...that's been every time, really. And I wouldn't mind a drink myself. The bar is probably still open downstairs."

"I'm guessing we can't go find Zee this moment," I offered.

"You should be resting. That much physical exertion isn't good for you," Hilde said, adding, "And no, none of the people we asked have seen her, and we'll earn the sort of trouble we don't need if we start tossing inns trying to find her in the middle of the night."

"I'm going for a drink," Ila said suddenly. "One can only hope it'll help me ignore this inane chatter."

That decided, we headed out of the room.

I was already taken aback by just how beautiful the accommodations were. There's no way we got this room cheap and I hoped it didn't mean I'd been rented out to cover it. Well...maybe that wouldn't have been _so_ bad. A lot of the types of mamono in Kioko were right in my strike zone and had been since before even arriving on the island.

We walked by a deeply kneeling attendant that only bowed in response to our passing as we headed down the stairs to a surprisingly busy common room.

"Isn't it past midnight?" I wondered aloud as I sauntered up to the well-kept bar.

The exceptionally attractive woman behind the bar smiled as we approached. Her flawless dark skin gave her an exotic look amidst the paler Kioko denizens and I was immediately interested in whatever it was she was selling.

"Up late? I've got just the thing to help you sleep, to keep you awake, or to keep you up. Which are you looking for?" she asked.

"I'd like Akuma fire wine," Ila said.

"You and me both! I could retire if I had a bottle of that," the dusky woman said with a smile.

When Ila only frowned in response, the bartender quickly added, "I'm deeply sorry but as well-stocked as we are here, we only see those bottles once a decade if we're lucky. We don't have anything that rare, but we do have something that's got more kick and more flavor if you're interested."

"I seriously doubt that-" Ila began.

Quickly sliding a small glass of dark red liquid to the dragon, the bartender simply smiled. "On the house. Let me know if you like it."

The first sip silenced Ila's protest and the second literally brought tears to her eyes.

Rather than call attention to the show of humanity that Ila would probably just deny, I was immediately interested in whatever else this bartender could mix up.

"In case you couldn't tell, I'm an outlander," I began. "Are you familiar with any of the drinks from the...uh...other world? There's a lot ailing my mind and body that I'd prefer to forget at this particular moment."

"A new experience will go a lot further in helping you forget whatever it is that's bothering you," she said. "But I am familiar with a great many drinks from the other world. I think I've got just the thing for you."

I would have doubted her ability to come up with anything that was even close to what I normally enjoyed, but then I'd also assumed something similar in Alnor at the Winter Court Bistro and I'd been proven quite wrong.

With a wink that assured me she was up to the challenge, the bartender turned and began mixing several liquids that I couldn't identify, finally adding in a pale milky fluid and stirring the concoction before sliding it to me.

"What was that last thing you put in there?" I asked with a dubious frown, not willing to take chances with something that looked far too suspiciously like semen.

"If you'll allow me to apologize for saying so, you look absolutely exhausted. That is my own personal amrita. It will put vigor back into your step and it's also quite delicious mixed in this drink," she answered. "Did you wish to charge this all to your room?"

I looked to my companions, noting that, aside from Ila, they also looked quite tired. I was also looking to see if any of them looked guilty at the suggestion.

"Phina?" I said. "This isn't going to put me on the hook for another orgy or anything is it?"

"Not that I know of. I guess it's fine," she said, now looking perplexed.

"Yeah, to the room please," I said as I picked up the large bamboo cup and raised it to my lips. "Down the hatch, I guess."

The only part of the taste that was even remotely familiar was the creaminess brought by the so called "amrita" she'd added. The rest was a medley of dark and sweet cradling and elegantly cloaking and blending with an earth-shaking alcoholic punch.

Better than the wonderful taste, the drink also completely obliterated my fatigue within the first few sips.

"Holy shit...this is great!" I nearly shouted. "You guys should-"

"I'll have what he's having," Phina and Hilde said at the same time.

Having finished her own drink, Ila looked almost angry that she was so curious about what we were drinking.

"Just try one," I suggested to Ila. "If you don't like it, it's still alcohol, right?"

Pretending to ignore me, Ila motioned to the bartender. "I'll have one of those."

"Of course," the bartender answered with a smile and began preparing another drink for Ila.

While Ila was busy trying to hide her delighted reaction, a familiar face pushed between Phina and I to reach the bar.

"Ah, Joseph. What a coincidence," the danuki Rini said in the practiced tones of false indifference.

"There is at least another thirty feet of empty bar and you squeeze up next to me? I already know there's no chance you aren't full of shit, so what do you want?" I asked.

"You know her?" Phina asked. "You know you're married to a far more attractive danuki, right?"

"Yes, Phina. I'm aware. I've never been balls deep in this one, if that's what you're implying. Though if we're being honest, I didn't have my memories of Risa when I met Rini and her husband," I said, now hesitating as I added, "Jeremiah was it?"

"Jeremy," she countered with a frown toward Phina and me. "And your business acumen and intuition never ceases to amaze."

"Really, I don't want the pitch. Just tell me what you're selling," I said as I took another wonderful sip of my drink and then considered how much easier dealing with Rini might be if she were drunk. "And a drink for this woman, please. Charge it to my room."

If memory served, this woman worked for South Teremir, and seeing her here was far more troubling than I let on. If she was able to find me then who else could so easily do the same thing?

"I really don't want to-" Rini began before a drink was placed before her. She sighed and continued, "I want to make a deal with you."

"Oh yeah? That last one we made _was_ pretty fucking good. I can't imagine why I'd want to even hesitate to jump at this offer. You already have a contract prepared?" I said as evenly as I could manage.

"Kindly spare me the condescension. You don't have quite as much strength in this situation as you believe," she shot back angrily, her features softening slightly as she added, "But this matter is vitally important to both of us."

As I looked her over, I could see that she looked unkempt and more than a little distraught. She was also in her true form and so, unless Risa had been lying to me, could only deal honestly. When I also noticed that her husband was nowhere to be seen, I started to piece together some thoughts on what she might want. That only made me more curious on what I had that she wanted.

"Let's get a table," I said.

"There are private rooms available adjacent to the common room," the bartender offered as she pointed to several sliding doors. "Just let me know if you need anything else."

Hilde sat first leaving me next and then Phina. Ila simply stood in the private room nearby with a disinterested look on her face, Keres looking on from beside her. Rini sat across from us, her petite body looking even smaller and more vulnerable across the large table.

Rini took a deep breath and began, "I see you noticed that Jeremy isn't here. He's being held by South Teremir as collateral for...something else."

"Is that what this deal is about?" I asked.

"I won't deny that, but that is only part of it. His return also wouldn't benefit you in any way so I have something much more substantive to offer."

"Okay then. What do you want?"

"Ten million gold," she said without flinching.

I rolled my eyes. "Sure, let me just grab that out of my pouch here. I'm sure I'm good for that."

"I'm serious."

"And you believe you have something to offer that is in any way worth that amount, assuming I had any chance of getting it together in the first place?" I asked.

She nodded. "How familiar are you with the Teremir hospitality laws?"

I had no idea what she was talking about, but I already didn't like the sound of it. I didn't want to reveal my hand yet, but I was now intrigued by what she might have to offer.

"Familiar enough. How does that relate to your offer?" I asked.

Something in my delivery must have tipped her off to my lack of knowledge. She smiled and replied, "I've researched your finances and your lack of reaction means you don't know them. I will offer you one piece of information that is of extreme value to you at no cost. If that doesn't convince you of the value-to both of us-of my real offer, then I'll leave you in peace."

She certainly wasn't messing around. Her tone suggested that she truly did have something valuable to offer, but there was no guarantee that wasn't just her determination to get her husband back.

"I'm listening."

"The Teremir Hospitality laws dictate costs for extended stays within any guild protectorate. The costs are 'small' enough that they mean little to the rich guild council members, but it is an item that can be placed on a balance sheet to show the value of utilized space," she said. "How fully did you read the contract you signed with them?"

"Phina?" I asked. "I was a little tuned out."

Phina scowled and stared at Rini. "We had a month and the language was very clear about what you just mentioned. It shouldn't be a problem."

"If you had a seat on a guild council, it most certainly would not be a problem," Rini said. "The costs are a bit more substantial to those of us with more modest means."

"How much?" Phina asked before I could open my mouth.

"You passed the month two weeks ago. The time you spent there before you made the deal was taken from the total. Their 'modest' rate for time beyond that is ten thousand gold per day," she said as she leaned back from the table to let us digest what she'd just said.

We were fucked. If our savings were still anywhere near where I believed them to be, that meant we had another week at best before everything we owned would have to be sold just to keep from going into debt.

"God damn it, Phina," I began before catching myself. "No...this is as much my fault. Fuck! What the hell are we going to do? That's our only easy way to...uh...do what we're going to do."

Rini continued to smile. "What I'm selling you is a solution that will solve that problem, make you a pile of gold, and resolve another large problem that you don't yet seem to be aware you have."

I rested my elbows on the table and tented my fingers. Maybe I could figure out a solution on my own, but if it took more than a few days, I'd lose everything we owned _and_ our easiest entry into Durand's castle. That or I'd run up a debt so far beyond what we'd ever be able to pay that I'd likely end up sold as property to make up just a part of the amount.

Dodging giving her an immediate answer, I said, "If you did your homework then you already know I don't have anywhere near that kind of gold or any way to make it quickly."

"I am aware. Even a low ranking member of South Teremir Mercantile has access to the financial records of our clients," she said. "The repayment will honestly end up costing you quite a bit more than the ten million I'm asking, but I'll include a clause that will guarantee that you are protected from collection methods beyond asset reappropriation."

"So basically you're going to rape me on interest, but you won't be allowed to sell me or any of my family into slavery," I stated dryly.

"It's always refreshing to deal with someone with an understanding of finance," she said. "It would also be in your best interest to give me your answer as soon as possible."

"Wait-how would going into debt make me a pile of gold?" I asked.

She turned away and scratched at her chin. "I wonder…"

Phina was the first to speak again. "If we bring down Durand, can't we just have our hospitality debt taken care of?"

"Maybe," I began. "But there's no way to know that for sure. We clearly didn't get concrete numbers. I'm starting to think that dwarf intentionally fucked us over."

"That would be a wise thought, Joseph," Rini said. "A similar deal is the reason Jeremy and I were stuck running a tiny trade outpost at the far end of Kioko."

"How do I know you aren't just trying to screw me over?" I asked.

"You don't."

"That's quite convenient for you," I said with a scowl.

At that, Rini's smile actually vanished. "I haven't seen my husband in over a month, Joseph. I'm not here for your convenience. I'm here because this deal will help us both and you're the only one I can make it with."

"Give us a moment," I said to Rini, gesturing toward the common room.

"Of course," she said without hesitation as she hopped up from the table and headed out of our isolated room.

Phina moved to the other side of the table but remained silent as I let my head fall into my hands.

Insulated or not, there was little chance that anyone in the building missed my violent shout, most probably taking it as a kindly suggestion of how to spend the rest of their evening. "Fuck fuck **fuck**!"

"You good?" Phina asked quietly, but with far too much snark in her voice.

"Do we have a choice here?" I mused aloud.

Phina shrugged and replied, "If we scrape together most of we have on us, we could get a message to Risa's sisters and have them moved out in another couple days."

"That sacrifices our easy way into that castle," Hilde offered. "Wasn't that our goal?"

Phina and I let silence answer that question in the affirmative.

"She also claims she has more useful information you'll get as part of her trade," Hilde continued.

I scowled. "Yeah, and she also sold me an 'anti-rape' potion that ended up turning me into a woman."

"You say that like it's a terrible thing," Phina said with a frown in my direction.

"Oh, so you've got another guy on the side to handle that thirst of yours?" I said.

"You don't need to be an asshole," Phina countered.

"Then help me!" I growled. "What the fuck do we do here?"

Ila smiled far too genuinely for my tastes and said, "Why not take the deal?"

"You have any particular reason for that line of thinking?" I asked.

Ila finished her drink and then crossed her arms triumphantly before replying, "It's no surprise you hadn't considered something so simple."

Hilde smiled, perhaps already having an idea of what Ila was about to say.

Ila continued, "She's a lesser mamono. You would be under no obligation to honor any agreement with her."

"Well shit, that _is_ convenient," I began. "What do I do with the debt collectors that come to legally take everything I own when I don't pay?"

"You just hurt them badly enough that they don't return," she offered with a hint of smugness. "After enough times, no debt collector will even consider trying to collect from you."

"She's drunk," Phina whispered to me, clearly not quiet enough.

"Alcohol does not affect a true dragon in the way it does you lesser beings!" Ila countered as she raised an arm in protest. "I will have three more drinks right now to convince you!"

"Fuck it. We could all use a few more," I said before adding, "We'll just take the deal. If we die we won't have to pay anyway, right?"

Ambling out to the bar to rejoin Rini, I looked down at her and extended a hand. "We'll take your deal. Let's work out the details before I get too drunk."

Rini tried to hide her tears of relief as she took my hand. "You won't regret this, Joseph. I swear it."

"So what now?" I asked.

Regaining her composure, Rini reached into a scroll case and whispered to me, "We'll want to sign this down here so I can get a message out. There are six assassination contracts on you that I know of and this will get one of them cancelled. The others will probably try to move on you tonight. I hope that dragon can handle herself in a fight."

I looked to Ila as she was finishing two drinks at once, her cheeks already slightly flushed.

"Oh, we've got this. Yeah...this is going to be fucking great."

Rini continued, "You'll also need to send a message to whoever you have staying in Teremir to expect guests."

"Wait...guests?"

"Ah, I often forget that I can explain these sort of things to you," Rini began. "I brokered a deal with the Gold Sun Assemblage-another Teremir guild-to earn your cooperation."

"What are they getting out of our deal?"

"Information that would normally be impossible to get at the price you and I are offering."

"You've lost me…" I mumbled, clearly missing some important pieces of her plan.

Rini nodded and continued, "As you're aware, the place you're now 'renting' from South Teremir sits upon their private guild road. People that aren't part of the guild or in an agreement like yours normally aren't allowed anywhere near it. It prevents informational theft between guilds."

It felt like I was starting to get an idea of what she was suggesting.

"Are you saying I'm allowed to authorize guests to visit?"

"Exactly. More than that, the Gold Sun Assemblage will pay absurdly well-more than enough to cover the hospitality fees and my demands-just for the privilege of being able to keep a handful of their guild as 'guests' there. And they'll stop trying to kill you over what they see as potentially dangerous dealings with South Teremir."

"Then all of the rest of the assassins after me are from South Teremir, aren't they?"

"Members of the guild council often disagree, and the vote to risk keeping you alive did not go in your favor."

"Well fuck, then we can't go back to Teremir anyway!" I cursed.

"Not true!" Rini corrected with a smile. "Teremir is actually the safest place for you. None of the guilds will risk the wrath of the city council, so if they're going to kill you it would have to be before you return to the city."

"Hmm...so then I'm guessing my agreement with Yessica is nullified if I die?" I mused aloud.

"You catch on quick. And just so you know...it would have been fair to demand a lot more gold from you in this deal."

"Oh yeah? Then what stopped you from doing exactly that?" I asked.

She sighed softly. "I'm still a member of South Teremir and if you actually pull off even a part of what you're aiming to do and end up sitting as a council member or as...well...let us just say the risk isn't worth the potential reward of betting against you."

"I appreciate the vote of confidence you have in my chance for survival."

"Keeping you alive now is just good business, Joseph. For now, though, I must send this message. I look forward to the chance for more mutually beneficial arrangements in the future," Rini said with a small bow as she dashed out the door so fast that it looked like she thought the ceiling might collapse at any moment.

-

Dashing out of the grand inn and down several wide roads to the next closest inn, Rini jubilantly burst into the establishment.

"He accepted the deal!" Rini then quickly relayed to the large golden-scaled dragon girl that was her contact with the Gold Sun Assemblage.

The large dragon swallowed a glass of flaming alcohol without flinching and then slowly looked down at the much smaller danuki. "And here I was hoping to see if that salamander bodyguard of his was worthy of all the rumors."

The dragon then nodded to a nearby kunoichi and handed over a small scroll which the much smaller woman took and quickly departed.

"You must have old information. The salamander isn't with him-seems she arrived in the city on her own a few days ago," Rini said with a sigh of relief. "That is definitely for the best. She somehow took out two insured South Teremir caravans. The team they've got after her is making me nervous to even be in the same city and he'd end up dead if he got caught up in that."

"I heard about the caravans. Just assumed he was there and beneath mention," the dragon began calmly and then added, "He couldn't have made it here alone."

"No, no. Now he's got a succubus, an orc, a big silver dragon, and some other mamono species I've never seen before that looked like a mess of other monster parts."

"Sounds like a chimaera and-" the dragon began before bolting up in her chair. "You must be mistaken. There are no more silver dragons."

"You think a merchant doesn't know what silver looks like? She was silver-scaled with blue hair and the palest skin I've ever seen," Rini said.

"If it really is a dragon, it must be clanless echidna spawn," the dragon growled. "Blessed fangs. You mean the 'scaled demon' that helped that salamander take out an entire South Teremir strike team? She's as much of a target as the salamander!"

Rini frowned. "I...hadn't heard that part."

Now pacing angrily, the dragon said, "No, I don't imagine you did. Now I've got to go protect our investment."

Rini was speechless as the golden-scaled woman walked from the room with purpose. She ordered a drink to calm her nerves, worried over just how many things could go wrong if those two dragons met.

-

-Nearby-

"It's just as you thought, mistress," a quiet voice whispered, a manic edge to the words. "Twelve of them. I won't be able to get more than six in an ambush-four if they're as skilled as we've heard."

A regal voice responded from the shadows, "Then we go in together."

"Mistress! You mustn't dirty your noble hands with such a task. My life has always been yours. You must keep your own life safe."

"Restoring my honor is more important than my life now. I must do this."

The sibilant voice answered back, "You cannot be blamed for what happened."

"Enough, Kumori. That salamander will die tonight, by blade or by poison, if we do not intercede. I will not allow that until I have restored my honor."

"As you wish, Mistress Rumiko. Just give your order and we'll devour them all," the sadistic, night-touched jorou-gumo hissed.

-

"So dragon," Hilde began after a large gulp of strong rice wine. "You ever been fucked?"

Clearly not entirely sober herself, Ila smiled and answered, "Fucked? No. I _have_ claimed seven of the Endowed after various trials by combat."

"Endowed? You talking about a man?" Hilde asked.

"Man?!" Ila spat. "Simply having a cock like one of the Endowed does not make a man worthy of a dragon."

"Yeah? So you've never had a man then," Hilde stated.

Ila scoffed in response. "Playthings of the rich! The men from every Skyrender hoard were sold to finance the war effort...and only weak offspring come from breeding with them."

"Whoa, who said anything about breeding? Sure, fucking all your futa subordinates to relieve stress will lead to mistakes, but having a man is just so much more...mmm...satisfying."

Either blushing slightly or drunker than she let on, Ila remained silent as Hilde continued.

"Futas aside, I've raped at least a hundred men and I've never been stung by one of their little serpents. And you should probably forget about ever seeing another one of those 'endowed' dragons if you ever want a daughter or even a night of fun," Hilde said before sighing blissfully and adding, "But, oh the things I would give to carry that man's child…"

"You can't be serious. Him?" Ila answered, her tone uneven. "I suppose he did have the spine to challenge you in open combat."

"And traded my rage for desire...Oh, did he ever." Hilde swooned. "You could do a lot worse than to notice the way he looks at you. I guarantee you send that look back with a few choice words and he'll build a tower in your honor in a heartbeat. Or you could just drag him to the floor and fuck him whether he says he wants to or not. He loves dominant mamono. Why do you think he never stops that succubus any time she wants his cock down her throat?"

Ila tried to distract herself from the discussion by focusing on her drink, realizing at that moment that her concentration had turned the liquid into a solid block of ice. Even with the shot of liquid courage denied her, Ila had certainly felt a steadily growing itch since she'd begun traveling with the man.

Devouring and loudly crunching on the block of frozen alcohol, Ila let her thoughts progress. She wasn't claiming him for her hoard...no, just for a night. Azalea had even said it was fine. What was the harm if he was eventually going to be a piece of her treasure anyway?

As Ila shook off her indecision and walked toward the nearby table where Joseph and Phina were quietly talking, Hilde smiled. Whatever her master wanted, she would find a way to make sure he got it. She was, however, surprised how easily she'd managed to talk the arrogant dragon into making a move.

She'd ask him later if he was happy with his gift.

"No," she whispered, correcting herself. If he thought it was a gift, he'd feel obligated to return it. When and if her master gave her another present, Hilde wanted it to be his desire alone that prompted the giving. The longer he waited, the more her growing lust seethed in joy from his denial.

It was going to be an exciting evening.


End file.
